Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 3, 2026

Scanning-probe Single-electron Capacitance Spectroscopy
Published on: July 30, 2013
Contact-free scanning and imaging with the scanning ion conductance microscope
Samantha Del Linz1, Eero Willman, Matthew Caldwell
1Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London , Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
None:
Scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM) offers the ability to obtain very high-resolution topographical images of living cells. One of the great advantages of SICM lies in its ability to perform contact-free scanning. However, it is not yet clear when the requirements for this scan mode are met. We have used finite element modeling (FEM) to examine the conditions for contact-free scanning. Our findings provide a framework for understanding the contact-free mode of SICM and also extend previous findings with regard to SICM resolution. Finally, we demonstrate the importance of our findings for accurate biological imaging.
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