Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) allows for nano-scale characterization of many surfaces including soft biological materials.  It makes use of a very sharp tip raster scanning over a surface of interest, while typically capturing topographical features. The significant features of AFM are its high lateral and vertical resolutions, ability to image in solution, and to sensitively measure forces of interaction.

We take advantage of this technique to get a more detailed picture of how biological molecules such as lipids and proteins behave in different geometries, temperatures, and chemical environments.  Of particular interest, is examining how these molecules respond to local curvatures and bending and how these geometries my induce molecular separation. 

We have access to three AFM models, each having slightly different configurations and offering different capabilities. These include  an Asylum MFP-3D complimented with a confocal microscope and Digital Intruments’ Dimension 3100 and Multimode. 

The MFP-3D Inverted Optical (IO) model allows simultaneous AFM and optical imaging including fluorescence, epi-transmission, etc.

Digital Instruments Dimension 3100 Microscope in Acoustic hood/Vibration isolation table. The Dimension 3100 scanning probe microscope utilizes standard and advanced SPM imaging modes to measure surface characteristics for semiconductor wafers, lithography masks, magnetic media, CDs/DVDs, biomaterials, optics, and other samples up to 200mm in diameter.

The Digital Instruments MultiMode Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) measures surface topography on the nanometer scale.  Options include the ability to scan in other modes to measure frictional forces and material properties with a Hysitron nanoindenter and to perform Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM).  Sample size is limited to a maximum of 15 mm in diatmeter.