Agilent Technologies Announces Addition of ILM and STM Capabilities to Atomic Force Microscope

06/02/2014

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) announced the availability of inverted light microscope (ILM) and scanning tunneling microscope (STM) capabilities for the recently introduced Agilent 7500 atomic force microscope platform.

The Agilent 7500 system's 90µm AFM closed-loop scanner achieves outstanding low-noise performance, enabling atomic-resolution imaging. The innovative design includes a built-in environmental chamber with six inlet/outlet ports as well as precision temperature and humidity sensors. The 7500 supports many AFM techniques and is ideal for materials science, life science, polymer science, electrochemistry, electrical characterization and nanolithography applications.

Agilent has now extended the utility of this state-of-the-art AFM platform to encompass an even broader range of studies pertaining to single molecules, cell membranes, DNA, proteins and other life science applications by allowing simultaneous acquisition of atomic force and optical (or fluorescence) microscopy data. A newly available ILM system lets researchers fully leverage key 7500 AFM capabilities, including Agilent's patented MAC Mode, a very gentle imaging technique that delivers unparalleled performance in fluids. The patented mounting design of the ILM system incorporates a rigid structure that provides the low noise floor needed to obtain nanometer resolution. The ILM system is compatible with many popular inverted microscope models.

The new STM scanner also is now available for use with the 7500 AFM platform. Scanning tunneling microscopy is a technique that takes advantage of the extreme distance sensitivity of the tunneling current between two conducting electrodes to measure tunnel-current variations as a probe is scanned over a sample's surface. Agilent STM scanners deliver outstanding results on a variety of conducting materials. These low-current and ultralow-current STM scanners provide stable imaging at picoampere and sub-picoampere currents to resolve individual atoms and molecules.

A hermetically sealed, top-down configuration of the 7500 provides complete isolation of the scanning elements and electronics from the imaging environment. This design allows total environmental control, fluid-friendly operation, and superior thermal stability. Over the past 20 years, Agilent STM scanners have delivered superior research results and have consistently outperformed other STM scanners in achieving the best atomic resolution within the shortest time.

More information on the Agilent 7500 system can be found at www.agilent.com/find/7500ILM; prices are dependent on system configuration.

Product images are at www.agilent.com/find/7500ILM_images.

AFM Instrumentation from Agilent Technologies

Agilent offers high-precision, modular AFM solutions for research, industry and education. Exceptional worldwide support is provided by experienced application scientists and technical service personnel. Agilent's leading-edge R&D laboratories are dedicated to the timely introduction and optimization of innovative and easy-to-use AFM technologies.

Agilent Technologies Inc.