The CP-qp-SCONT-PM colloidal probe features a spherical polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA, acrylic) microparticle attached by a polymer adhesive to the free end of a NANOSENSORS™ SD-qp-SCONT-TL tipless AFM cantilever.
The microspheres are made of polymethyl methacrylate with density 1.19 g/cm3. They are hydrophobic, non-porous and robust. They are available in 3 different diameter ranges:
- A = 1.5 µm ± 5%
- B = 3.36 µm ± 5%
- C = 6.44 µm ± 5%
Please choose A, B or C when ordering!
Due to the different microsphere masses, the colloidal probe resonance frequency may be lower than the specified value for the base tipless AFM cantilever.
The NANOSENSORS™ SD-qp-SCONT-TL cantilevers are designed for special applications where no AFM tip at the end of the AFM cantilever is needed. They are chemically inert to most common solvents.
A partial reflective gold coating is deposited on the free end of the detector side of the AFM cantilever. The main advantages of the coating are the low bending and the reduced drift, particularly for measurements in liquid environments.
The holder chip features alignment grooves on the back side which guarantee precise alignment of the AFM cantilever position when used together with the NANOSENSORS™ Alignment chip.
The colloidal probe technique uses single colloids attached to AFM cantilevers for force measurements and offers possibilities for better understanding of many fundamental interactions such as adhesion phenomena, particle-surface interactions, mechanical properties, suspensions, hydrodynamics and boundary slip.