Scanning force images through the 'Milliscope'--a probe microscope with very wide scan range

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biotechnology
• Microscopy

Background:

• Scanning Force Microscopy (SFM) is a powerful technique for high-resolution imaging.
• Existing SFM instruments often have limited scan areas, restricting their application in large-scale biological sample analysis.
• Developing SFM with a wider scan range is crucial for advancing biological research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the performance of a newly developed, home-built scanning force microscope (SFM).
• To assess the instrument's capability in imaging calibrating objects and biological samples (cytological and histological).
• To determine the feasibility of creating wide-scan SFM instruments with simple, cost-effective methods.

Main Methods:

• Construction of a home-built SFM with a large scan volume (1.2 x 1.2 x 0.13 mm³).
• Testing the instrument on calibrating objects and biological specimens.
• Image acquisition across a range of sizes, from 1.2 x 1.2 mm² down to 1 x 1 µm².
• Comparison of image quality with existing SFM systems.

Main Results:

• The home-built SFM achieved a lateral resolution of approximately 10 nm.
• Images obtained from biological samples were comparable in quality to those from commercial SFMs.
• The instrument demonstrated effective performance even at smaller scan sizes, despite limitations in height range.
• The 'Milliscope' operates across a broad magnification range, overlapping with optical and electron microscopes.

Conclusions:

• The developed wide-scan SFM, 'Milliscope,' is an effective imaging tool for biological applications.
• Simple, inexpensive techniques can yield SFM instruments with large scan areas and good performance.
• Further development of wide-scan SFM instruments is encouraged to expand the use of SFM in biology.