3
in application areas that require high
resolution and force sensitivity, such
as life science, polymer science, and
surface science. C mode is included
with MC Mode.
The MC Mode III controller is
optimized for single-pass Kelvin force
microscopy (KFM) and electrostatic
force Microscopy (EFM), a technique
that enables simultaneous collection of
topography and surface potential data
by using a servo-on-height cantilever
approach that is insensitive to scanner
drift. These modes are especially useful
for measuring dielectric ilms, metal
surfaces, piezoelectric materials, and
conductor-insulator transitions. In
addition to KFM/EFM and piezo force
microscopy (PFM), it allows the use
of higher resonance modes of the
cantilever. This technique can be utilized
to collect additional information about
mechanical properties of the sample
surface.
Electrochemistry
The gilent 7500 can be equipped
with electrochemistry accessories
that include a fluid cell, a salt bridge,
improved software, and a built-in, low-
noise potentiostat/galvanostat for
in
situ
EC-FM studies. When combined
with precise temperature control, it is
possible to obtain information about
electrochemical processes that would
otherwise be inaccessible. Furthermore,
the 7500 FM system’s environmental
control allows imaging with no dissolved
Figure 5. KFM topography (left) and surface potential (right) images of fluoroalkane F
14
H
20
self-assembly on Si. Scan size: 4 µm.
oxygen in either aqueous or non-aqueous
solutions. The optional EC glove box
features a smaller chamber that allows
the glove box and FM to be placed
inside the Pico IC isolation chamber for
uncompromising results.
PicoTREC
gilent’s exclusive PicoTREC molecular
recognition toolkit is designed for
use with MC Mode. With PicoTREC,
researchers can quickly distinguish
between species that are engaged in
molecular binding events and those that
are not binding events, thus eliminating
the need to perform slow and tedious
force-volume spectroscopy experiments
to get the same results.
Scientists can use PicoTREC with the
7500 FM to explore dynamic properties
of biological systems (antibody-antigen,
ligand-receptor, drug-receptor, DN-
protein, DN-DN, and so forth) by
imaging patterns of molecular binding
and adhesion on surfaces.
Software
The 7500 AFM system utilizes Agilent’s
PicoView, an imaging and analysis
software package that allows complete
control of all scanning parameters and
provides the lexibility required for more
complex experiments.
For additional interactive post-processing
capabilities, gilent’s easy-to-use Pico
Image imaging and analysis software
package provides all of the features
and functions required to build a
surface analysis report on multi-layer
measurement data.
Figure 7. Contact mode, topography image (left) of a cell were made to characterize cell
morphology including nucleus lower right. Scan size 50µm. Elasticity map (right) of a fixed
cell. An array of force distance curves were measured at the same position as shown in
figure left. A map of elasticity modulus was constructed by analyzing the individual force
distance curves.
Figure 6. Closed-loop topographic image
of polymer isotactic polypropylene.
Scan size: 2µm.
