Investigation of nanoparticles by atomic and lateral force microscopy

Wurster, R.; Ocker, B.

doi:10.1002/sca.4950150304

Cited by 7 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 7 publications

(2 reference statements)

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“…The atomic force microscope is one of the techniques of choice for the characterization of nanoparticles (Wurster and Ocker, 1993). Many of the reported protocols often make use of relatively rough surfaces, like glass (Bonanni and Cannistraro, 2005;Doron et al, 1999) thus setting intrinsic limits to the lowest size of the imaged nanoparticles, in exchange for more efficient immobilization.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Statistical information, including size, surface area, and volume distribution can be determined as well. Several articles report methods for imaging metal nanoparticles (Arcoleo and Liveri, 1996;Bonanni and Cannistraro, 2005;Doron et al, 1999;Ebenstein et al, 2002;Mulvaney and Giersig, 1996;Ping and Sattler, 1995;Wurster and Ocker, 1993). Such reported methods either use complex and delicate substrate modification methods or simply dry nanoparticle suspensions onto the substrate, thus codepositing salts or other materials and lacking to control the conditions during deposition, with a chance to modify the specimen itself.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sample preparation for the quick sizing of metal nanoparticles by atomic force microscopy

Vinelli

Primiceri

Brucale

et al. 2008

Microscopy Res & Technique

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Two alternative pretreatment methods for depositing metal nanoparticles on mica for atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging are presented. The treated substrates are flat and clean, thus they are amenable of use to characterize very small nanoparticles. The methods do not require any instrumentation or particular expertise. As they are also very quick, the need for storage of the prepared substrates is avoided altogether. These proposed methods, which are compared with the results of transmission electron microscopy analysis, allow the quick sizing and characterization of nanoparticles with the atomic force microscope and could thus help expanding the user community of nanoparticle researchers who could use the AFM for their characterization needs.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sample preparation for the quick sizing of metal nanoparticles by atomic force microscopy

Vinelli

Primiceri

Brucale

et al. 2008

Microscopy Res & Technique

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“…The most widely used standard specimens, usually supplied by the manufacturer, are highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) and mica, useful for x-y calibration of the highest resolution stage, and micromachined semiconductor grids for calibration over larger fields of view. It is becoming increasingly common, however, to prepare well-ordered specimens from monodisperse latex spheres of known diameter (Li and Lindsay 1991, Van Cleef et al 1996, Wurster and Ocker 1993. These spheres are available in the size range from 50 nm to several µm, and can be obtained with certification traceable to primary size standards.…”

Section: Lateral Motionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Scanning force microscopy—calibrative procedures for ‘best practice’

1997

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Summary: Scanning force microscopy (SFM) is gaining rapidly in popularity as a convenient and versatile tool for characterising and manipulating a great variety of physical and biological systems. In spite of being in the early stages of the learning curve, the SFM family has already made significant contributions to the rapidly expanding body of knowledge about surface structures and properties. However, many of the results emerging from SFM studies are the outcomes of incompletely characterised methodologies, and the reports often do not provide adequate information about instrumental and operational conditions. A typical SFM system consists of the following main elements: a sample stage with x-y-z positional control; a detector/sensor stage containing the optical deflection arrangement and the position-sensitive sensor assembly; and the force-sensing probe which consists of a lever and a tip. The elements will perform according to operational criteria, and their functionalities will be contingent on evaluation of sets of parameters, without which the interpretation of results may be open to questioning and/or be difficult to reproduce. Methodologies for evaluation and calibration of the various elements are now in the process of being developed; these will in due course constitute the basis on which prescriptions will be constructed for "best practice." The current state of the literature is reviewed, and strengths and weaknesses are identified.

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“…Although these aspects have been the subjects of several recent studies (e.g. Wurster & Ocker, 1993;Odin et al, 1994;Schwartz et al, 1994;Xu & Arnsdorf, 1994), much work remains to be done in order to establish 'best practice' for AFM over the broad range of current and potential applications.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Polystyrene spheres on mica substrates: AFM calibration, tip parameters and scan artefacts

Cleef

Holt

Watson

et al. 1996

Journal of Microscopy

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Atomic force microscopy (AFM), in various versions, has had major impact as a surface structural and spectroscopic tool since its invention in 1986. At its present state of development, however, the interpretation of AFM images is limited by the current state of methodologies for calibration over the wide dynamic range of magnification. Also, the parameters of individual tips, as well as the generic characteristics of different kinds of tips, affect both the quality of the images and their interpretation. Finally, the very nature of the tip‐to‐surface interaction will generate artefacts, in addition to those associated with tip shape, which need to be fully understood by the practitioners of force microscopy. This project seeks to address and shed light on some of these issues. Polystyrene beads deposited on mica substrates form hexagonal close‐packed layers. The unit cell parameters are suitable for calibration of the AFM in the lateral plane, while the perpendicular spacing of the layers is appropriate for calibration along the vertical axis. Using different size fractions, it is straightforward to determine the extents of linearity, orthogonality, thermal and instrumental drifts over distances from 100 nm to tens of micrometres. The present results show that the methodologies for contact mode operation can be adapted to noncontact modes. It is known that an AFM image arises from a convolution of surface topography and tip shape, and is mediated by the interaction. In principle it is possible to carry out a deconvolution, if we have complete knowledge about two of the three elements (i.e. tip, surface and interaction). In practice we rarely have the requisite information. Prominent artefacts will occur when the characteristic parameters of the tip are comparable to those of the surface topography, and/or if there is a variable strength, or extent of localization, of the interaction. The present results demonstrate artefacts due to effects of geometry as well as interaction.

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Investigation of nanoparticles by atomic and lateral force microscopy

Cited by 7 publications

References 7 publications

Sample preparation for the quick sizing of metal nanoparticles by atomic force microscopy

Sample preparation for the quick sizing of metal nanoparticles by atomic force microscopy

Scanning force microscopy—calibrative procedures for ‘best practice’

Polystyrene spheres on mica substrates: AFM calibration, tip parameters and scan artefacts

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