Scanning Probe Microscopy for Materials Research

本研究的重点是寻找原子力显微镜（AFMs）性能的基本限制，然后构建更接近这些基本限制的AFMs。本研究的主要目标是为科学家和工程师在许多学科中使用的小型悬臂梁开发AFMs。在给定的弹簧常数下，小悬臂梁具有较高的谐振频率，因此热噪声分布在较大的频率范围内，每单位带宽的噪声较小。由于小悬臂梁在溶液中具有较低的粘性阻力，因此观察到较少的耗散和较小的波动。这使得软性材料（如生物样品）的成像更快、更温和。这项研究和开发的一个强大动机是使原子力显微镜在广泛的材料上有用的长期目标，例如用于生物材料加工的酶和其他蛋白质。因此，小悬臂梁和小悬臂梁原子力显微镜可能是未来扫描探针显微镜的重要组成部分，这将是材料研究的基础和实际兴趣。参与该项目的研究生接受尖端技术的基础实验技术培训。这种培训将为他们在学术界、工业界或政府的一系列职业生涯做好准备。这项研究的重点是找到原子力显微镜（AFMs）性能的基本极限，然后建造更接近这些基本极限的AFMs。根据以前的研究，我们知道小悬臂对于实现这一目标至关重要。因此，我们将为小悬臂梁构建AFMs，其目标不仅是接近基本极限，而且是在材料研究和其他领域广泛应用的普遍有用的显微镜。似乎特别有前途的应用是酶的单分子力学，自然界用于材料合成。通过分析酶和其他蛋白质的单分子力学，科学家和工程师将能够开发出环保、易于制造（例如在环境条件下）且具有成本效益的材料。这些材料将涉及医疗和纺织行业。参与该项目的研究生接受尖端技术的基础实验技术培训。这种培训将为他们在大学、工业或政府的一系列职业生涯做好准备。

This research focuses on finding the fundamental limits on the performance of Atomic Force Microscopes (AFMs), and then building AFMs that come closer to those fundamental limits. Development of AFMs for small cantilevers that can be used by scientists and engineers across many disciplines is a primary goal of this research. Small cantilevers have higher resonant frequencies at a given spring constant, thus the thermal noise is spread out over a larger frequency range giving less noise per unit bandwidth. Since small cantilevers have lower viscous drag in solution less dissipation and smaller fluctuations are observed. This allows faster and gentler imaging of soft materials, such as biological samples. A strong motivation in this research and development is the long-term goal of making AFMs that can be useful on a wide range of materials, such as enzymes and other proteins for biomaterials processing. Therefore, small cantilevers and small cantilever AFMs could be an important part of the future of scanning probe microscopy, which will be of fundamental and practical interest to materials research. Graduate students involved in the project receive training in fundamental experimental techniques with cutting edge technology. This training will prepare them for a range of careers in academe, industry or government.%%%This research focuses on finding the fundamental limits on the performance of Atomic Force Microscopes (AFMs), and then building AFMs that come closer to those fundamental limits. Based on previous research, we know that small cantilevers will be essential for this goal. Thus, we will build AFMs for small cantilevers with goals not only of coming closer to the fundamental limits, but also of making generally useful microscopes for a wide range of applications in materials research and beyond. On application that seems especially promising is single molecule mechanics of enzymes that nature uses for materials synthesis. By analyzing single molecule mechanics of enzymes and other proteins, scientists and engineers will be able to develop materials that are environmentally friendly, easy to manufacture (e.g. under ambient conditions), and cost effective. Such materials would span medical and textile industries. Graduate students involved in the project receive training in fundamental experimental techniques with cutting edge technology. This training will prepare them for a range of careers in colleges, industry or government.