Real-time atomic force microscopy using mechanical resonator type scanner

The real-time atomic force microscope for biological sample is a challenging research field. We have demonstrated a real-time atomic force microscope by implementing a mechanical resonator type scanner called by "microscanner" The microscanner was designed to have a resonance frequency in the range of 5-10 kHz and an amplitude of 1-3 microm. The resonant vibration of the microscanner was served as a fast-scan directional motion, and an image acquisition rate of 30 frames/s with 256x256 pixels per frame was achieved. Time-varying sequential images of a poly(ethylene-oxide) sample were taken as a demonstration of potential for excellence in real-time imaging a moving nano-object.