Plasma functionalization of AFM tips for measurement of chemical interactions

Abstract

In this paper, a new, fast, reproducible technique for atomic force microscopy (AFM) tips functionalization used for chemical interaction measurements is described. Precisely, the deposition of an aminated precursor is performed through plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) in order to create amine functional groups on the AFM tip and cantilever. The advantages of the precursor, aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), were recently demonstrated for amine layer formation through PECVD deposition on polymeric surfaces. We extended this procedure to functionalize AFM probes. Titration force spectroscopy highlights the successful functionalization of AFM tips as well as their stability and use under different environmental conditions.

Interaction of (3-Aminopropyl)triethoxysilane with Pulsed Ar–O2 Afterglow: Application to Nanoparticles Synthesis

“…Growing in a single step, a siloxane-based thin film functionalized with primary amines using a single amino-alkoxysilane precursor is still under investigation. However, only few articles deal with this issue [5,[19][20][21][22], and the majority of these studies point out a rather low amine density of the as-grown thin films and/or do not produce obvious evidences of efficient -NH 2 functionalization. Indeed, Gubala et al [19] point out interesting results using APTES as unique precursor but they obtained a lower density compared to the APTES-EDA copolymer thin film [18].…”

Review: Cantilever-Based Sensors for High Speed Atomic Force Microscopy

“…More sophisticated functionalization methods have also been proposed and explored, such as plasma enhanced chemical deposition (PECVD). The use of PECVD-functionalization, however, requires an activation step of the substrate, which can be performed by creating oxygen-containing plasma before starting the functionalization process [ 220 ]. This activation step is supposed to create a high density of hydroxyl groups on the surface to which the APTES molecules may bind covalently.…”

Study of a pulsed post‐discharge plasma deposition process of APTES: synthesis of highly organic pp‐APTES thin films with NH2 functionalized polysilsesquioxane evidences

“…Indeed, −NH 2 rich thin films are already known to immobilize bioactive molecules, improve implants biocompatibility and enhance chemical adhesion . Among the various processes that enable deposition of NH 2 ‐rich thin films, PACVD, also called plasma polymerization, can lead to conformal and adherent amino containing layers . With this process, an organic precursor (monomer) containing an −NH 2 group is activated by a plasma, that is, turned into a radical.…”

“…Different monomers have been already reported to synthesize amino containing thin layers. Among them, (3‐Aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) is an amino‐alkoxysilane that is known to achieve dense and adherent coatings . It is widely used in sol‐gel methods as it allows the deposition of amino‐rich layers .…”