Probe Selection for Fluid Techniques

Soft cantilevers often produce the best results for biological applications. For certain applications, probes with oxide sharpened tips provide increased resolution. However, sharp tips are also capable of tearing delicate samples, thus 'dull' probes are also available. FastScan fluid probes are recommended only for use with the Dimension FastScan scanner. Users should experiment to find the probe type that works best for their sample. The application note Choosing AFM Probes for Biological Applications discusses the appropriate probes for different fluid imaging applications; contact Bruker for a copy.

Recommended probes for fluid applications:

• SNL
• MSNL
• DNP-S
• MSCT
• DNP
• MLCT

The Probe Selection section provides a detailed description of each probe type's specifications and attributes organized for comparison.

Removing Organic Contamination

Contaminants on the cantilever tip may limit the AFM’s resolution. Use ultraviolet light to remove contaminants as follows:

1. Place the fluid cell with installed tip face-up on a clean surface.
2. Position a UV lamp very close (3–5 mm) to the fluid cell and irradiate the unit for two minutes at full intensity.

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