Latest News
May 15, 2012
JPK reports on the research activities of Dr Jochen Guck and his teams at Dresden & Cambridge …
March 20, 2012
JPK releases new handbook of accessories for SPMJanuary 31, 2012
JPK reports on the current research activities of Dr Clemens Franz and his team at Karlsruhe Institute …January 17, 2012
JPK reports on how graphenes are being studied using AFM to better characterize their properties at the …December 7, 2011
JPK launches QI™ - quantitative imaging mode for the most challenging of AFM samplesNext Event
June 10 - 14
Smart Materials, Structures and Systems, Italy. See the NanoWizard® AFM.
Press releases
2011-04-19 | DirectOverlay display & analysis software from JPK Instruments
Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a powerful tool to investigate a huge variety of different samples with nanometre scale resolution under physiological conditions. As well as providing topographic measurements, information about interaction forces and mechanical properties like adhesion and elasticity can also be obtained. Perfect integration of AFM with an optical setup can increase the range of applications and opens up many possibilities for correlating structural information with optical information such as functionalized labeling of certain components.
To achieve the perfect combination of optics and AFM at the molecular scale, distortions must be prevented. This will result in two images, such as optical and AFM images, that do not perfectly overlay. Reasons for distortions include aberrations arising from the lenses and mirrors of the optics system. This nonlinear stretching, rotating and offsetting of optical images are present in nearly all types of optical setups.
To generate a seamless overlay of both techniques, JPK developed a cutting-edge calibration method, called DirectOverlay™, which uses the accuracy of the AFM closed-loop scanning system to enable a true display of absolute angles and length coordinates. The calibration procedure is done automatically and uses the known positions and offsets of the cantilever to calibrate the optical image into the AFM coordinates. To generate a perfect match of the optical and AFM image, 25 or more points are used in the calibration algorithm. At each point, an optical image is acquired and the position of the cantilever tip is automatically detected in each optical image without needing input on cantilever angle, shape or magnification.The algorithm then performs a nonlinear conversion and, as a result, the optical image is corrected for any lens imperfections and converted into the linearized AFM length coordinates. This provides a perfect integration of optical and AFM data with sub-diffraction limit precision.
Finally, the calibrated optical image is transferred into the JPK SPM software, so that AFM scan regions can be selected within the optical image.Direct "in optical image" selection of AFM measurements (imaging, mapping and force spectroscopy) leads to more efficient experiments and reduces dramatically overview image scanning in AFM.
JPK develop, engineer and manufacture instrumentation in Germany to the world-recognized standards of German precision engineering, quality and functionality. For further details on the NanoWizard® 3 systems and other products in the JPK family of nanoscale characterization systems, please visit the JPK web site.
Go to DirectOverlay™ product page
