Modified AFM Tips

AFM probes for atomic force microscopy can be chemically, biologically and physically modified by us. Chemically and biologically modified AFM probes can be used to obtain additional information such as the chemical composition of the surface in addition to the usual information provided by an AFM. This is called Chemical Force Microscopy (CFM).

You can select the appropriate AFM probes from our wide product range, depending on the chemical or biological composition of the hydrophilic or hydrophobic surface to be examined.

If required, we are happy to advise and support you in the selection of the suitable AFM tip. We produce the customer-specific modified AFM probes according to your individual wishes. Please contact us directly under info@nanocraft.de.

 

Product range of our modified AFM probes

Measuring probes with tip radii of 7 nm – 500 nm and spring constants of 0.006 N/m – 40 N/m are available:

 

Modification	Property	Area of application
CH3	hydrophobic	for hydrophobic contrast in H2O
CF3	hydrophobic, polar	very strong hydrophobic. For hydrophobic contrast in H2O
NH2	hydrophobic, hydrophilic	charge, amino groups and acid groups can be detected
COOH	hydrophobic, hydrophilic	charge and acid groups can be detected
OH	hydrogen bonds	polar groups  in particular OH groups via temporary hydrogen bonds in hexadecane can be detected
titan coating		titan coating: Coat thickness 10 nm -500 nm
gold coating		gold coating: Coat thickness 10 nm -500 nm

The minimum order quantity is 5 probes per modification. Chemically sensitive electrodes are supplied in gel packs in air or inert gas or in a special holder in ethanol. Thus the shelf life of the chemically modified electrodes is several months if stored carefully.

 

Customer-specific measuring probes

We also develop specifically modified CFM tips on behalf of our customers. For a modification according to your ideas, simply contact us – our experts will be happy to advise you. Possible modifications could be for example:

• customer-specific chemical end groups
• particle modifications (e.g. polystyrene particles, silica particles, gold particles)
• biological modification (toxins, proteins, enzymes or antibodies)

CFM as a service

NanoCraft Coating GmbH also offers you the characterization of your surface as a service. This allows the chemical composition, topography and roughness as well as specific interactions and wetting properties to be investigated. Further information is available on our contract research website.