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When performing contact mode of AFM on biological samples such as cells, it is very easy for tips adhered and contaminated by cellular debris, how can we clean the tip then instead of replacing it? In chemical or mechanical way?
Hi, Fenny,
You can find some useful tips from a similar discussion: http://nanoscaleworld.bruker-axs.com/nanoscaleworld/forums/t/829.aspx
The method I used often is to rinse the tip in ethanol followed by di water followed by plasma or UV ozone treat, you can also try stronger sovent as suggested in the above discussion if you still have the problem.
LA
Check out the thread in the Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) group in Linkedin:
http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Probe-Cleaning-2815697.S.60160436?qid=49fc465d-3e19-453e-9e56-656c5e854523&trk=group_items_see_more-0-b-ttl
Fenny,
As Ang said, we have a very similar discussion on the forum. Again, I do believe that hydrophobic-coated probes can really help. If you have a chance to have a flow through, it's even more efficient.
Best,
Alex.
you might try very lightly wetting a cleaning sample surface with H2O2 hydrogen peroxide, varying the amounts to be able to immerse the tip entirely in the liquid, just the tip, NOT the cantilever, and hold it contacting the peroxide as long as possible. If you can instead, remove the tip and immerse in H202 just to cover the whole lever and tip and chip ( not too large a volume ) and let soak overnite. This likely will dissolve ( etc / consume ) all organic material on the cantilever & tip.
Motti