Atomic force microscopy coupled with inverted optical microscope technique
The FlexAFM inverted optical microscope coupling technology is available to all customers interested in the ability to combine optical microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The system consists of a universal FlexAFM inverted optical microscope sample stage, a microscope-specific sample adapter for different microscopes (e.g., Zeiss or Olympus), and FlexAFM illumination correction optics.
The main features of the Atomic Force Microscopy coupled with Inverted Optical Microscopy technique are:
- Connection adapters for Zeiss Axiovert/AxioObserver, Olympus IX2, Nikon Eclipse Ti, and Leica DMI series microscopes. Other models of inverted optical microscopes can be customised to suit the model.
-Intuitive operation due to the fact that the optical field of view of the AFI and the inverted optical microscope have the same orientation.
-The alignment of the cantilever arm in the optical field of view is achieved by the independent movement of the AFM scanning head in the X and Y directions, with the AFM scanning axis and the optical image axis having a 1mm parallel distance.
-Alignment chip technology eliminates the need to perform a new cantilever arm alignment in the optical image after replacing the cantilever arm.
-Sample positioning has 12mm of travel in the X and Y directions.
- Sample holders can be adapted to microscope carrier sheets and petri dishes.
-Possibility to use high numerical aperture lenses in combination with coverslip bottom petri dishes.
Inverted Optical Microscope Unit: The easyScan 2FlexAFM AFM is integrated into a Zeiss inverted optical microscope while resting on an Accurion active vibration damping stage.
