Design and testing of drift free force probe experiments with absolute distance control

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Surface Science
• Biophysics

Background:

• Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and scanning probe microscopy face fundamental limitations due to probe-sample drift.
• Current AFM designs infer distances from force measurements and piezo motion, limiting precision.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and test a novel AFM setup that overcomes drift and enables direct, precise measurement of absolute distances.
• To combine the strengths of AFM and surface forces apparatus with advanced interferometric techniques.

Main Methods:

• Integration of Multiple Beam White Light Interferometry (MBI) for absolute distance measurement from the AFM cantilever.
• Implementation of IR-laser Fabry-Pérot interferometry (FPI) for fast distance clamping and drift correction.
• Benchmarking of distance control by comparing MBI and FPI measurements.

Main Results:

• Demonstration of a novel AFM setup combining MBI and FPI for precise distance control.
• Successful force/distance measurements with sub-nanometer precision.
• Validation of the system's capability for drift correction and stable measurements.

Conclusions:

• The novel AFM setup effectively addresses fundamental drift limitations in scanning probe microscopy.
• This system offers unprecedented sub-nanometer control of molecular distances for extended durations.
• Potential applications include precise manipulation and study of single molecules and ligand/receptor bonds.