Nanosurf DriveAFM tip scanning AFM with photothermal actuation

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The DriveAFM, from Nanosurf, is a tip scanning atomic force microscope designed to deliver stable, high-end performance in biological applications. It is suitable for high-resolution imaging of demanding samples such as nanostructures, proteins or polymeric structures (eg, DNA), and also for larger, micrometre-sized structures.

Full motorisation allows adjusting the lasers and photodetector, and navigating the sample, without interfering with a temperature-controlled environment. CleanDrive excitation provides clean cantilever tuning in liquid environments. The insensitivity of the CleanDrive towards environmental changes and the sensitivity of small cantilevers facilitate imaging of delicate samples over long periods of time with ease.

Seamless integration of the DriveAFM with an inverted optical microscope allows transmitted light and fluorescence microscopy to be combined with AFM imaging and force spectroscopy. The light sources’ wavelengths used for CleanDrive (785 nm) and the deflection detection (840 nm) were selected to avoid interference with biological samples and to make fluorescence imaging possible.

The DriveAFM comes with a line of accessories for biological applications from single-molecule investigations to live cell observations. It includes a Petri dish holder and a 150 μm z-actuator, which is essential for cell adhesion experiments. Both sample holders are designed to maintain biological samples at physiological temperature and to be ultimately converted into a live cell incubator with temperature and CO₂ control. FluidFM, Cytomass and ANA expand the capabilities of the product with multifunctional hollow cantilevers, cell mass measurements and nanomechanical measurement automation.

Photothermal excitation of the cantilever provides good stability, a linear frequency response, and a high excitation bandwidth in air and liquid environments. These benefits allow measurements at multiple frequencies and high-speed applications, enabling more innovative measurement modes (eg, Cytomass Monitor).