基于DSP的高速原子力显微镜系统

传统的以PC机为控制核心的AFM(atomic force microscope)越来越无法满足快速成像的要求,具有先进控制系统的高速AFM正成为国内外的一个研究热点.本文介绍了一种以DSP(digital signal processor)为控制核心的AFM系统.在该系统中,自动进针/退针、扫描电压的产生、A/D采样、D/A输出以及数字闭环反馈控制等任务均在DSP控制下完成;在分辨率为512×512时,可以获得行频55 Hz的扫描速度.实验表明,即便在这样高速扫描的情况下,该系统仍具有良好的成像性能.     

研究开发适应于国际标准的SPM针尖特性表征结构

标准化是当前扫描探针显微镜领域(SPM)的一项重要工作.国际标准化组织ISO自2004年起已经将SPM标准化列入其工作框架之内,并建立了相关的分委员会、技术委员会和工作小组.本文介绍了国际上当前有关SPM标准化方面努力和主要趋势:SPM术语的标准化被认为是SPM标准化工作范围内首先需要考虑的问题,其相关标准即将发表;SPM数据管理及处理的标准化则是另一项正在进行的有利于数据访问、处理和共享的重要工作.可溯源计量型原子力显微镜(AFM)的发展解决了纳米尺度的度量问题,能够通过对标准物质进行定量分析与定标实现量值的传递.当前发展能够被计量型AFM鉴定的参考物质以及标准化仪器校正过程是实现SPM标准化之前的当务之急.为了促进SPM领域ISO标准的实现,一种新的针尖特性表征结构(tip characterizer)已经被开发出来.这种tip characterizer由超晶格组装技术实现,能够描述针尖的形状并且同时进行侧向尺度的校正.本文探讨了这种新型tip characterizer的性能.这种tip characterizer不易损坏针尖,具有很好的重复性,并能帮助实验观察分析针尖形状和结构几何特性之间的关系.     

温度对PTCDA结构形貌影响的Raman和AFM分析

通过真空蒸发将PTCDA淀积在p-Si(100)面.采用Raman光谱,AFM分别研究了衬底温度对于PTCDA分子结构和表面形貌的影响,进而完善了p-Si基PTCDA薄膜的生长机制.     

Efficacy of low concentration neutralised electrolysed water and ultrasound combination for inactivating Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Pichia pastoris GS115 and Aureobasidium pullulans 2012 on stainless steel coupons

The sanitising effect of low concentration neutralised electrolysed water (LCNEW, pH: 7.0, free available chlorine (FAC): 4 mg/L) combined with ultrasound (37 kHz, 80 W) on food contact surface was evaluated. Stainless steel coupon was chosen as attachment surface for Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Pichia pastoris GS115 and Aureobasidium pullulans 2012, representing bacteria, yeast and mold, respectively. The results showed that although LCNEW itself could effectively reduce survival population of E. coli ATCC 25922, P. pastoris GS115 and low concentration A. pullulans 2012 in planktonic status, LCNEW combined with ultrasound showed more sanitising efficacy for air-dried cells on coupons, with swift drops: 2.2 and 3.1 log CFU/coupon reductions within 0.2 min for E. coli ATCC 25922 and P. pastoris GS115, respectively and 1.0 log CFU/coupon reductions within 0.1 min for A. pullulans 2012. Air-dried cells after treatment were studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM)/optical microscopy (OM) and protein leakage analyses further. All three strains showed visible cell damage after LCNEW and LCNEW combined with ultrasound treatment and 1.41 and 1.73 μg/mL of protein leakage were observed for E. coli ATCC 25922 and P. pastoris GS115, respectively after 3 min combination treatment, while 6.22 μg/mL of protein leakage for A. pullulans 2012 after 2 min combination treatment. For biofilms, LCNEW combined with ultrasound also significantly reduced the survival cells both on coupons and in suspension for all three strains. The results suggest that LCNEW combined with ultrasound is a promising approach to sanitise food equipment.     

Wavelength dependent laser-induced etching of Cr-O doped GaAs: Morphology studies by SEM and AFM

The laser induced etching of semi-insulating GaAs 〈100〉 is carried out to create porous structure under super- and sub-bandgap photon illumination (h v). The etching mechanism is different for these separate illuminations where defect states play the key role in making distinction between these two processes. Separate models are proposed for both the cases to explain the etching efficiency. It is observed that under sub-bandgap photon illumination the etching process starts vigorously through the mediation of intermediate defect states. The defect states initiate the pits formation and subsequently pore propagation occurs due to asymmetric electric field in the pore. Formation of GaAs nanostructures is observed using scanning electron (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM).     

Structural entropy in detecting background patterns of AFM images

Structural entropy was developed for detecting the type of localization in charge distributions on a finite grid, especially in mesoscopic electronic systems. However, it is possible to detect and analyze superstructures, i.e., topologies consisting of more structures with different types of localization properties. In the definition of the structural entropy, the von Neumann entropy of the system is divided into two parts: first, the extension entropy, which is simply the logarithm of the occupation number; the second part is the structural entropy. On a structural entropy versus logarithm of the spatial filling factor map, the different types of localizations follow different, well-characterized curves. Spatial filling factor measures the percentage of the “filled” (i.e., high intensity) pixels of the image.An atomic force microscopy (AFM) image can be interpreted as some kind of charge distribution on a grid: after normalization, the darkness (or lightness) of the pixels fulfills all the necessary conditions. AFM image artifacts can be detected by plotting the structural entropy versus the logarithm of the spatial filling factor maps of the images. Not only the type of an added large-scale Gaussian, parabolic, exponential, or other function can be identified, but also by careful study of the curves belonging to the structures, the parameters can be detected, too.     

A universal fluid cell for the imaging of biological specimens in the atomic force microscope

Recently, atomic force microscope (AFM) manufacturers have begun producing instruments specifically designed to image biological specimens. In most instances, they are integrated with an inverted optical microscope, which permits concurrent optical and AFM imaging. An important component of the set‐up is the imaging chamber, whose design determines the nature of the experiments that can be conducted. Many different imaging chamber designs are available, usually designed to optimize a single parameter, such as the dimensions of the substrate or the volume of fluid that can be used throughout the experiment. In this report, we present a universal fluid cell, which simultaneously optimizes all of the parameters that are important for the imaging of biological specimens in the AFM. This novel imaging chamber has been successfully tested using mammalian, plant, and microbial cells. Microsc. Res. Tech. 76:357–363, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Influence of N ion implantation on the corrosion and nano-structure of Ti samples

Nitrogen ions of 30 keV with different fluxes ranging from 5 × 10¹⁶ to 8 × 10¹⁷ ions/cm² were implanted in Ti foil of 1.8 mm thickness. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to obtain the structural characteristics, while atomic force microscope (AFM) was employed to obtain the surface morphology of the samples. The potentiodynamic method was employed to obtain corrosion resistance of the samples in NaCl (3.5%) solution. Titanium nitride formation was enhanced with increasing the nitrogen ion flux, while grain size and surface roughness of the samples were also increased. Optimum corrosion resistance was obtained for 5 × 10¹⁶ (N⁺ ions/cm²).     

Plasma modification of polylactic acid in a medium pressure DBD

In this paper, a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) operating in different atmospheres (air, nitrogen, helium and argon) and at medium pressure is employed to modify the surface properties of polylactic acid (PLA). Chemical and physical changes on the plasma-treated surfaces are examined using contact angle, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements. Results show that the discharge gas can have a significant influence on the chemical composition of the PLA surfaces: air and argon plasmas introduce oxygen-containing groups, while nitrogen discharges add nitrogen groups to the PLA surface. Quite surprisingly, also helium plasmas incorporate a small amount of nitrogen-containing functionalities: this observation can however be explained by the fact that the helium discharge operates in the glow mode. In the near future, it will be examined whether the performed plasma treatments can enhance PLA cell attachment and proliferation, which might open the door to many interesting biomedical applications.