Seiko Instruments Inc

Hitachi High-tech Science Corporation

Sii Nanotechnology Inc.

Amiko Nihei

Masatsugu Shigeno

Naoya Watanabe

Yoshiharu Shirakawabe

Akira Inoue

Osamu Matsuzawa

Yuji Yamamoto

Hiroshi Muramatsu

Kazunori Ando

A cell detachment method for detaching only a desired cell from a plurality of cells cultured on a substrate under predetermined culture environment conditions by using a scanning probe microscope having a probe, comprising: observing the plural cells; specifying the cell to be detached; moving the probe onto the specified cell; and pressing the prove against the specified cell with a predetermined force so as to detach the cell from the substrate.

Cell detachment method

A cantilever includes: a lever portion; a holder portion supporting the proximal end of the lever portion; a probe portion arranged at the distal end of the lever portion and having a spherical surface to face a sample; and a retaining portion fixed to the distal end of the lever portion and retaining the probe portion to surround a periphery of the probe portion. There is provided a cantilever allowing mounting of a probe portion with little effect in a short time without using any adhesive.

Cantilever and cantilever manufacturing method

A scanning probe microscope has a probe needle and a control section that controls relative scanning movement between the probe needle and a surface of a sample in at least one direction parallel to the sample surface and controls relative movement between the probe needle and the sample surface in a direction perpendicular to the sample surface. A vibration source vibrates the probe needle at a vibrating frequency relative to the sample surface. An approach/separation drive section causes the probe needle to relatively approach to and separate from the sample surface at a predetermined distance while the probe needle is vibrated at the vibrating frequency relative to the sample surface by the vibration source. A detection section detects a rate of change in a vibration state of the probe needle in accordance with a distance between the probe needle and the sample surface. An observation section gathers observation data from the sample surface when the rate of change in the vibration state of the probe needle detected by the detection section has exceeded a preselected threshold value.

Scanning probe microscope and scanning method

A scanning probe microscopy system has a cantilever having a probe at a distal end thereof and a heating unit for heating the sample. A moving unit effects relative movement between the cantilever probe and the sample to bring the cantilever probe into contact with a surface of the sample for measuring a property of the sample. A shielding unit shields between the cantilever probe and the sample during heating of the sample by the heating unit.

Scanning probe microscopy system and method of measurement by the same

Growing community of inventors

Chiba, Japan

Amiko Nihei