AVS 60th International Symposium and Exhibition
    Scanning Probe Microscopy Focus Topic Thursday Sessions
       Session SP+AS+BI+NS-ThP

Paper SP+AS+BI+NS-ThP3
Ferritin-based Magnetic Force Microscopic Probe with Very High Resolution

Thursday, October 31, 2013, 6:00 pm, Room Hall B

Session: Scanning Probe Microscopy Poster Session
Presenter: N. Chung, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, Republic of Korea
Authors: N. Chung, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, Republic of Korea
D.H. Kim, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Republic of Korea
J.W. Park, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Republic of Korea
Correspondent: Click to Email
A single-molecule ferritin picking up process was realized with the use of AFM, which was enhanced by employing controlled dendron surface chemistry. The approach enabled the placement of a single ferritin protein molecule at the very end of an AFM tip. When used for magnetic force microscopy (MFM) imaging, the tips were able to detect magnetic interactions of approximately 10 nm sized magnetic nanoparticles. The single ferritin tip also showed the characteristics of a “multifunctional” MFM probe that can sense the magnetic force from magnetic materials as well as detect the biomolecular interaction force with DNAs on the surface. The multifunctional tip enabled us not only to investigate the specific molecular interaction but also to image the magnetic interaction between the probe and the substrate, in addition to allowing the common capability of topographic imaging. Because the protein engineering of ferritin and the supporting coordination and conjugation chemistry are well-established, we envisage that it would be straightforward to extend this approach to the development of various single magnetic particle MFM probes of different compositions and sizes.