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Related Concept Videos

Atomic Force Microscopy01:08

Atomic Force Microscopy

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a type of scanning probe microscopy that can analyze topographic details of various specimens like ceramics, glass, polymers, and biological samples. AFM offers over 1000 times more resolution than the optical imaging system. Images generated from AFM are three-dimensional surface profiles, offering an advantage over the flat, two-dimensional images from other imaging techniques.
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The probe is regarded as the heart of any AFM setup and comprises the...
Electron Microscope Tomography and Single-particle Reconstruction01:07

Electron Microscope Tomography and Single-particle Reconstruction

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) can be used to determine the 3D structure of biological samples with the help of techniques such as electron microscope tomography and single-particle reconstruction. While single-particle reconstruction can examine macromolecules and macromolecular complexes in vitro conditions only, tomography permits the study of cell components or small cells in vivo.
Electron Tomography
Electron tomography can be performed either in TEM or STEM (scanning transmission...
Overview of Microscopy Techniques01:22

Overview of Microscopy Techniques

The early pioneers of microscopy opened a window into the invisible world of microorganisms. In 1830, Joseph Jackson Lister created an essentially modern light microscope. The 20th century saw the development of microscopes that leveraged nonvisible light, such as fluorescence microscopy that uses an ultraviolet light source and electron microscopy that uses short-wavelength electron beams. These advances significantly improved magnification, image resolution, and contrast. By comparison, the...
Scanning Electron Microscopy01:07

Scanning Electron Microscopy

A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is used to study the surface features of a sample by using an electron beam that scans the sample surface in a two-dimensional manner. Typically, areas between ~1 centimeter to 5 micrometers in width can be imaged. SEM can be used to image bacteria, viruses, tissues as well as larger samples like insects. Conventional SEM gives a magnification ranging from 20X to 30,000X and spatial resolution of 50 to 100 nanometers.
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Accelerated...
Overview of Electron Microscopy01:25

Overview of Electron Microscopy

The wavelengths of visible light ultimately limit the maximum theoretical resolution of images created by light microscopes. Most light microscopes can only magnify 1000X, and a few can magnify up to 1500X. Electrons, like electromagnetic radiation, can behave like waves, but with wavelengths of 0.005 nm, they produce significantly greater resolution up to 0.05 nm as compared to 500 nm for visible light. An electron microscope (EM) can create a sharp image that is magnified up to 2,000,000X.

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Atomic Force Microscopy of Red-Light Photoreceptors Using PeakForce Quantitative Nanomechanical Property Mapping
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Published on: October 24, 2014

On mapping subangstrom electron clouds with force microscopy.

C Alan Wright1, Santiago D Solares

  • 1Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, United States.

Nano Letters
|October 20, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Theoretical simulations suggest tungsten tips may exhibit four-lobed electron density, potentially explaining subatomic features in higher-harmonics atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of graphite. However, small calculated amplitudes and complex tip-sample interactions leave questions unanswered.

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Picometer-Precision Atomic Position Tracking through Electron Microscopy
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Atomic Force Microscopy of Red-Light Photoreceptors Using PeakForce Quantitative Nanomechanical Property Mapping
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Published on: October 24, 2014

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Published on: July 3, 2021

Area of Science:

  • Surface science
  • Atomic force microscopy
  • Scanning tunneling microscopy

Background:

  • Hembacher et al. reported simultaneous higher-harmonics atomic force microscopy (AFM)/scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) images of graphite in 2004.
  • They interpreted subatomic features as increased electron density lobes at the tungsten tip apex, a claim that has been debated.
  • No in-depth theoretical study had been conducted to verify these findings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a theoretical method for simulating higher-harmonics AFM images.
  • To apply this method to the Hembacher et al. system (tungsten tip on graphite).
  • To investigate the theoretical feasibility of subatomic features observed in AFM/STM.

Main Methods:

  • Development of a novel simulation method for higher-harmonics AFM images.
  • Application of the method to a W(001) tip apex atom interacting with a graphite surface.
  • Analysis of calculated electron density distributions and simulated AFM image features.

Main Results:

  • Calculations suggest a W(001) tip apex atom is expected to have four lobes of increased electron density.
  • Simulated higher-harmonics AFM images of graphite can display 4-fold symmetry features consistent with these lobes.
  • Calculated amplitudes of higher harmonics from short-range forces are very small (hundredths of picometers).

Conclusions:

  • The theoretical model supports the possibility of 4-fold symmetry features in higher-harmonics AFM images due to tip apex electron density.
  • The small calculated amplitudes and complex tip-sample interactions present challenges for direct quantitative interpretation.
  • Further research is needed to fully reconcile theoretical predictions with experimental observations in atomic force microscopy.