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Life Science / Bio AFM Probes

Fig.2: Opus tip shape side view
Uncoated silicon HQ AFM tip close-up
Fig.3: Olympus*** Tip shape side view
Cr-Au coated silicon HQ AFM tip close-up

Gold is chemically inert and hydrophobic, which makes gold coated AFM probes suitable for many experiments in biology and chemistry. Gold coated AFM probes are also used in certain electrical applications.

The coating is deposited on the back side of the AFM cantilever only (Cr-Au models) or on both sides of the AFM cantilever (Cr-Au BS models). The Cr-Au coating is formed as a 30nm Au film with a 20nm Cr sublayer, which is deposited for better adhesion of Au. The coating may cause AFM cantilever bending <3°.

Typical radius of uncoated AFM tip
8nm
Resulting AFM tip radius with the coating
<35nm
Full AFM tip cone angle*
40°
Total AFM tip height
12-18µm
AFM probe material
n-type silicon
AFM tip coating
Uncoated or gold
Detector coating
Gold

*The full cone angle may be less than 40° at the last 200nm of the AFM tip end.

1 AFM Cantilever Series

AFM CantileverResonance Frequency, kHzForce Constant, N/m
mintypicalmaxmintypicalmax
14 series 110 160 220 1.8 5.0 13
15 series 265 325 410 20 40 80
16 series 170 190 210 30 45 70
17 series 10 13 17 0.06 0.18 0.40
18 series 60 75 90 1.2 2.8 5.5
19 series 25 65 120 0.05 0.5 2.3

 

3 AFM Cantilever Series

AFM CantileverResonance Frequency, kHzForce Constant, N/m
mintypicalmaxmintypicalmax
35 series Cantilever A 130 205 290 2.7 8.9 24
Cantilever B 185 300 430 4.8 16 44
Cantilever C 95 150 205 1.7 5.4 14
36 series Cantilever A 30 90 160 0.1 1.0 4.6
Cantilever B 45 130 240 0.2 2 9
Cantilever C 25 65 115 0.06 0.6 2.7
37 series Cantilever A 30 40 55 0.3 0.8 2
Cantilever B 15 20 30 0.1 0.3 0.6
Cantilever C 20 30 40 0.1 0.4 1
38 series Cantilever A 8 20 32 0.01 0.09 0.36
Cantilever B 5 10 17 0.003 0.03 0.13
Cantilever C 6 14 23 0.005 0.05 0.21
 

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