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PointProbe® Plus Contact Mode Short Cantilever - Reflex Coating

The new PointProbe® Plus (PPP) combines the well-known features of the proven PointProbe® series such as high application versatility and compatibility with most commercial SPMs with a further reduced and more reproducible AFM tip radius as well as a more defined AFM tip shape. The typical AFM tip radius of less than 7 nm and the minimized variation in AFM tip shape provide more reproducible images and enhanced resolution.

The NANOSENSORS™ PPP-CONTSCR is an alternative AFM cantilever type for contact mode applications. The length of AFM cantilever is reduced with respect to the preferred contact mode type enabling easier exchange with non-contact mode AFM probes for some AFM instruments. Additionally, this AFM probe type allows the application for lateral or friction force mode.

The AFM probe offers unique features:

• guaranteed AFM tip radius of curvature < 10 nm
• AFM tip height 10 - 15 µm
• highly doped silicon to dissipate static charge
• Al coating on detector side of AFM cantilever
• high mechanical Q-factor for high sensitivity
• alignment grooves on backside of silicon holder chip
• precise alignment of the AFM cantilever position (within +/- 2 µm) when used with the Alignment Chip
• compatible with PointProbe® Plus XY-Alignment Series

The reflex coating is an approximately 30 nm thick aluminum coating on the detector side of the AFM cantilever which enhances the reflectivity of the laser beam by a factor of about 2.5. Furthermore it prevents light from interfering within the AFM cantilever. The virtually stress-free coating is bending the AFM cantilever less than 2% of the AFM cantilever length.