Currently there is a great interest in using scanning probe microscopy to study living cells. However, in most cases the contact the probe makes with the soft surface of the cell deforms or damages it. Here we report a scanning ion conductance microscope specially developed for imaging living cells. A key feature of the instrument is its scanning algorithm, which maintains the working distance ...

it is only thirteen years since the scanning electron microscope has been available commercially. yet, even in this short period of time, this instrument has been a powerful tool in the investigation of topography, electrical and magnetic properties, crystal structure, cathodoluminescent characteristics etc. of solid specimens. today, this type of microscope has opened its place alongside the c...

Scanning probe imaging is often limited by disturbances, or mechanical noise, from the environment that couple into the microscope. We demonstrate, on a modified commercial atomic force microscope, that adding an interferometer as a secondary sensor to measure the separation between the base of the cantilever and the sample during conventional feedback scanning can result in real-time images wi...

We present an electronic circuit that allows to calibrate and troubleshoot scanning probe microscopy (SPM) controllers with respect to their noise performance. The control signal in an SPM is typically highly nonlinear-the tunneling current in scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) varies exponentially with distance. The exponential current-versus-voltage characteristics of diodes allow to model t...

We present a novel, hand-held microscope probe for acquiring confocal images of biological tissue. This probe generates images by scanning a fiber-lens combination with a miniature electromagnetic actuator, which allows it to be operated in resonant and nonresonant scanning modes. In the resonant scanning mode, a circular field of view with a diameter of 190 μm and an angular frequency of 127 H...

We report the integration of a scanning force microscope with ion beams. The scanning probe images surface structures non-invasively and aligns the ion beam to regions of interest. The ion beam is transported through a hole in the scanning probe tip. Piezoresistive force sensors allow placement of micromachined cantilevers close to the ion beam lens. Scanning probe imaging and alignment is demo...

Using a vibrating opaque metallic tip, which periodically and locally modif ies the electromagnetic f ield distribution of a diffraction spot focused onto a sample surface through a microscope objective lens, we have observed optical resolution better than the diffraction limit both with topographical features and with purely optical ones. This procedure simultaneously generates a ref lection-m...

magnetic force microscope ( mfm ) is a powerful technique for mapping the magnetic force gradient above the sample surface. herein, single-wall carbon nanotubes (swcnt) were used to fabricate mfm probe by dielectrophoresis method which is a reproducible and cost-effective technique. the effect of induced voltage on the deposition manner of carbon nanotubes (cnt) on the atomic force microscope (...