Microscopy & Life Sciences

Queensgate AFM & SFM microscopy applications

Optical microscopy – Get the fastest step and settle time together with the best positioning performance.

Queensgate long-range piezo sample and objective positioners provide the best resolution, repeatability, and settle times. Queensgate controller techniques enable performance that is usually only achieved with shorter range stages, cutting scanning times significantly. Long ranges and fast scanning times are beneficial for multiphoton microscopy techniques like, for example, live-cell imaging (see image below acquired in 30 seconds). 

Atomic-force microscopy (AFM) – Ultra-fast, high-resolution imaging with velocity control.

Queensgate closed-loop velocity control enables fast AFM, capturing high-quality, high resolution, imagery at raster speeds of up to 4 mm/s over larger scan areas. Scan areas of 100×100 μm to 600 x600 μm can accommodate larger samples and payloads. 

In addition the linearity of the position data allows high quality images to be captured without requiring complex post-processing techniques to remove piezo distortion or stitching effects. 

Queensgate high performance piezoelectric stages are used in the specimen scanner of an AFM to provide sub-nanometer spatial resolution. Dynamic performance is also important as the faster the Z dimension can adjust to the sample’s topography, the quicker the surface can be scanned in the X and Y axis. Speed is essential as it reduces measurement times and possible temperature drift.