Scanning Probe Microscopy for Materials Research

这项研究的重点是找到原子力显微镜(AFM)性能的基本极限，然后建造更接近这些基本极限的AFM。这项研究的主要目标是开发可供多个学科的科学家和工程师使用的小悬臂AFM。在给定的弹簧常数下，小悬臂梁具有更高的共振频率，因此热噪声分布在更大的频率范围内，单位带宽的噪声更小。由于小悬臂在溶液中具有较低的粘性阻力，因此可以观察到较小的耗散和较小的波动。这允许更快、更温和地对软材料进行成像，例如生物样品。这项研究和开发的一个强烈动机是制造原子力显微镜的长期目标，这种原子力显微镜可以在各种材料上使用，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成为扫描探针显微镜的重要组成部分，这将对材料研究具有基础和实用意义。参与该项目的研究生接受具有尖端技术的基本实验技术培训。这项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。%本研究的重点是找到原子力显微镜(AFM)性能的基本限制，然后建造更接近这些基本限制的AFM。根据之前的研究，我们知道小悬臂将是实现这一目标的关键。因此，我们将为小悬臂制造原子力显微镜，目标不仅是更接近基本极限，而且还将制造在材料研究和其他领域的广泛应用的通用显微镜。在应用方面，似乎特别有希望的是自然用于材料合成的酶的单分子力学。通过分析酶和其他蛋白质的单分子机制，科学家和工程师将能够开发出环境友好、易于制造(例如在环境条件下)和具有成本效益的材料。这种材料将横跨医疗和纺织行业。参与该项目的研究生接受具有尖端技术的基本实验技术培训。这项培训将为他们在大学、行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.