Available Equipment

Specifications: Bruker NanoIR3 (AFM-IR)

AFM-IR Modes:

• Contact: Resonance-Enhanced, Surface Sensitive Mode, FASTmapping Imaging, HYPERspectral Mode

• Tapping: Tapping AFM-IR, HYPERspectral Mode

Scanner Range and Performances:

• XY Range: 50 µm x 50 µm

• Z Range: 12 µm

• Z Noise Contact Mode: 60 pm

• Z Noise Tapping Mode: 20 pm

Overall Spectral Capabilities:

• Spectral Range: 933–2304 cm⁻¹ & 2710–3600 cm⁻¹

• Spectral resolution : 1-4 cm⁻¹

• Polarization: 0 deg or 90 deg

Environmental Control: Operates in air and liquid (research development).

Sample Handling: Supports samples up to 12 mm in thickness and up to 1.5x1.5 cm on the XY stage.

Locations and contact:

Location: 0091, Contact: Francesco Simone Ruggeri

Park Systems AFM

AFM for advanced high-resolution topographical imaging in air and liquid conditions; ii) nano-mechanical mapping of Young’s Modulus, Adhesion, Deformation via PinPoint mode; iii) combined mapping of topography with electrical and magnetic properties at the nanoscale; iii) electrochemical measurements with an enclosed gold liquid cell.

Specifications of the instrument:

Imaging Modes:

• Standard: True Non-Contact™, Contact, Tapping, PinPoint™.

• Electrical: Conductive AFM (C-AFM), Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy (KPFM), Scanning Capacitance Microscopy (SCM).

• Mechanical: Nanoindentation, Force Modulation Microscopy (FMM).

• Thermal: Scanning Thermal Microscopy (SThM).

• Magnetic: Magnetic Force Microscopy (MFM).

• Specialized: Electrochemical Microscopy (EC-AFM).

Scanning Ranges and Performance:

• XY Range: 50 µm × 50 µm

• XY Noise: <0.1 nm

• Z Range: 15 µm

• Z Noise: <25 pm

Environmental Control: Operates in air and in liquid. Liquid is possible via: i) open liquid cell; ii) an electrochemical closed cell. Heats and cools to 0 °C - 110 °C (in air), 4 °C - 70 °C (with liquid) with an applicable voltage of -10V to +10V.

Sample Handling: Air, open space up to 100 mm x 100 mm, thickness up to 20 mm. Liquid, up to 15 mm diameter.

Locations and contact:

Location: 0044, Contact: Francesco Simone Ruggeri, Raoul Fix.

Bruker Multimode VIII

AFM for: i) for versatile and easy high-resolution topographical imaging in air; ii) nano-mechanical mapping of Young’s Modulus, Adhesion, Deformation via PeakForce and Quantitative Nanomechanical mapping modes.

Specifications of the instrument:

Imaging Modes:

• Standard: Contact, Tapping, Peakforce™.

• Mechanical: Nanoindentation, Quantitative Nanomechanical Imaging (QNM), lateral force microscopy.

Scanning Ranges and Performance:

• XY Range: 170 µm × 170 µm

• XY Noise: <0.05 nm

• Z Range: 5 µm

• Z Noise: <50 pm

Environmental Control: Operates in air and in liquid.

Sample Handling: maximum size of the sample 15 mm diameter × 5 mm thick.

Locations and contact:

Location: 0044 & 6039, Contact: Francesco Simone Ruggeri, Raoul Fix.

JPK Force Robot 300

Force Robot measures interaction forces between and within molecules and materials at the nanoscale in real-time. The instrument sensitivity allows to probe events associated to small forces, such as protein (un)folding, receptor-ligand interactions, DNA melting, single-molecule mechanical properties, small molecules binding to proteins, kinetic, affinity, and energy landscapes of biological interactions. 

Specifications of the instrument:

Scanner Range and Performances:

• XY Range: 100 µm × 100 µm

• Z Range: 6.5 µm

• XY Noise: < 0.3 nm

• Z Noise: 60 pm

Environmental Control: Measurement in air or liquid.

Sample Handling: Supports samples up to 10 mm in thickness and 20x20 mm on the XY stage.

Locations and contact:

Location: 6039, Contact: Francesco Simone Ruggeri, Raoul Fix.

JEOL JAMP-9500F Scanning Auger Microprobe (SAM)

Combining Auger Emission Spectroscopy (AES) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) allows surface imaging and elemental analysis (top 1-10 nm layers) with nanoscale spatial resolution (10 nm). AES provides precise elemental analysis, while the SEM allows for detailed imaging of surface morphology at nanometre scale. This instrument is widely used in materials science, food science, environmental science, life sciences, nanotechnology, semiconductor research, failure analysis, and surface characterization in both industrial and academic research.

Specifications of the instrument:

Spatial Resolution:

• SEM Imaging: 5 nm resolution for precise imaging of surface structures and features at the micro and nanoscales.

• Auger Spectral and Imaging Analysis: 10 nm resolution, providing detailed elemental analysis with high precision on the surface layer.

Surface and Elemental Characterization:

• Auger Spectra: Enables detailed elemental composition analysis, ideal for surface chemistry studies.

• Auger Imaging: Provides spatial distribution of elements on the surface, allowing for surface composition mapping.

• Secondary Electron Imaging (SEI): Offers high-resolution imaging of surface morphology, ideal for detailed visual examination of the sample's surface.

Depth Profiling:

• Ion Gun: Supports depth profiling, analyzing multiple layers within the sample, offering insights into compositional changes as a function of depth. Ideal for multi-layer analysis.

Top Coating and Thin Film Analysis:

• Maximum Measurable Top-Layer Thickness: 2-10 nm.

Locations and contact:

Location : 0043, Contact: Sidharam Pujari