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Ultrasharp and high aspect ratio carbon nanotube atomic force microscopy probes for enhanced surface potential imaging

Minhua Zhao1,2, Vaneet Sharma, Haoyan Wei, Robert R Birge, Jeffrey A Stuart, Fotios Papadimitrakopoulos and Bryan D Huey2

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The resolution of scanning surface potential microscopy (SSPM) is mainly limited by non-local electrostatic interactions due to the finite probe size. Here we present high resolution surface potential imaging with ultrasharp and high aspect ratio carbon nanotube (CNT) atomic force microscopy (AFM) probes fabricated via dielectrophoresis. Enhancement of surface potential contrast by several factors is reported for integrated circuit structures and purple membrane fragments for these CNT AFM probes as compared to conventional probes. In particular, ultrahigh lateral resolution (~2 nm) surface potential images of self-assembled bacteriorhodopsin proteins are reported at ambient conditions, with the implication of label-free protein detection by SSPM techniques.


PACS

87.85.Qr Nanotechnologies-design

87.15.Tt Electrophoresis

87.16.D- Membranes, bilayers, and vesicles

87.64.Dz Scanning tunneling and atomic force microscopy

Subjects

Medical physics

Biological physics

Dates

Issue 23 (11 June 2008)

Received 10 March 2008, in final form 1 April 2008

Published 7 May 2008



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