AFM Metrology and Analysis of Stainless Steel, Plasmid DNA, Nano-structure on Plexiglass
Plexiglass
Figure 6 is the typical morphology of nanoscale structures on the plexiglass surface
that is characterized by nano-structured grains. The Grain Analysis function of
NanoRule+ is capably to counts and analyzes nanoscale grain structures, and it
provides area, perimeter, volume, height, Max_height, radius, length, width and aspect ratio for individual grains and statistical average.
Figure 6B shows the grain boundaries between the total of 374 individual grains in Figure 6A. The average Max_height was 2.77 nm
with 0.82 nm st. (data not shown due to the report length). The Max_height ranged from 0.73 nm to 5.88 nm. Figure 6C shows the
Max_height distribution of these 374 individual grains, and the mode is about 2.8 nm. Figure 7 shows a 3D view of 1.2 × 1.2 μm scan
of the Plexiglass surface with Z-scale 5.54 nm height.
Figure 6: Grain Analysis for the Plexiglass surface. (A) 1.52 × 1.52 μm topography; (B) corresponding grain boundaries between these 374 individual grains;
(C) The Max_Height distribution with the mode of 2.8 nm. m.
Figure 7: 3D view of the grain structures on the plexiglass
surface.
Conclusion
This measurement has shown example results of topography and phase images for the stainless steel surface, plasmid DNA molecules,
and grain structures on the plexiglass surface. The line analysis and roughness measurements were given for the stainless steel sample.
Height information of individual DNA molecules was discussed. We also analyzed the nanoscale grains found on the plexiglass surface.
The grain analysis function of NanoRule+™ was shown capable to measure all-around data of imaged grains and their boundaries.
Pacific Nanotechnology’s Nano-R2™ AFM is shown fully capable for analysis and study of the four samples. The micrographs of
individual DNA molecules and 2-6 nm nanoparticles have shown Angstrom Z-resolution and super-low noise performance of Nano-R2™
system.
Appendix
Figure 8: PNI-prepared plasmid DNA molecules (pBR322, 4.3 kb, NEB, USA) on a freshly-cleaved mica.
1 ng/μL DNA in 1 mM Mg2+ solution was annealed at 45 ��C and 10 μL settled on the surface for 10 min,
followed by a through wash with DI water and air blow. The average DNA height is about 6 A, less than the
2 nm crystallographic width of B-DNA. This results from the pressure applied by probes during scanning.
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