ICSPI – Atomic Force Microscope

Nanoscale Imaging Has Never Been Easier

ICSPI has integrated all of the components of a traditional AFM onto a single 1 mm x 1 mm chip to create the world’s first single-chip AFM. That means that 250 AFMs can fit on the face of a penny.

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Overview

Features

Specifications

Collect nanoscale topography data on your benchtop in three clicks with the nGauge AFM.

The nGauge AFM uses micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) to control the X, Y and Z position of the tip. This means that no alignment of lasers is required.

The nGauge is the smallest AFM in the world. Because the entire unit weighs less than 500 grams, the nGauge rejects building vibrations, so no vibration isolation table is needed, which makes the nGauge a true benchtop AFM.

What can I use AFM for?

AFM provides topographical data of a surface. That means that you can look at the shape and size of individual features, such as the pits on a DVD, or look at the particle density, such as the number of nanoparticles in an area.

The nGauge AFM can be used to investigate surfaces where the features are up to 10 µm tall. It’s tricky to pinpoint a lower limit, but the RMS noise in the vertical (z) direction of the nGauge is 1 nanometre (nm). So, depending on your requirements, features as small as 5–10 nm can be imaged with the nGauge with acceptable accuracy.

To put what a nanometer is into perspective, a quarter (25-cent coin) is about 2 cm wide. An E. coli bacterium cell is 2 µm wide (10,000× smaller than a quarter). And the diameter of a DNA helix is 2 nm (1,000× smaller than a bacterium).

Key Features

nGauge AFM

3d nanoscale images in 3 clicks

Go from sample loading to 3d nanoscale data in two minutes
“One-click” automatic approach brings the tip to the sample in seconds
Collect topography, morphology, film thickness, roughness and phase data

Simple benchtop set-up and plug-and-play operation

Simply plug the nGauge AFM into a regular power outlet and into the USB port of your computer
Install an nGauge AFM chip and place a sample on the platform to start imaging
Everything you need to start scanning comes in a compact carrying case

Ultra-durable probes capable of hundreds of scans

nGauge AFM probes are durable and maximize lifetime: each probe is capable of hundreds of scans without wear
Ultra-low tapping force means the tip is wear-resistant and your samples are not damaged

Technical Specifications

Max scan area (XY)	20 μm x 20 μm
Z Range	10 μm
Scan speed	80 seconds (256 x 256 pixel, 20 μm x 20 μm)
Noise floor	<0.5 nm rms
XY Scanner resolution	<0.5 nm
Images	Topography, Phase, Error
Approach	Automatic
Max sample size	100 mm x 50 mm x 18 mm
Dimensions (L x W x H)	9 cm x 7 cm x 7.5 cm
Weight	450 g
Communication	USB
Operating System	Windows 10, 11
Power supply	Class II (two prong)
Input	100-240 VAC ~ 50/60 Hz
Output	7.5 VDC, 1.6 A