Category
- Microscopy and Imaging » Flow Measurement
Booking Details
Facility Management Team and Location
Facility Features, Working Principle and Specifications
Highly modular microscope and scanner
Easy sample access with top-down scanning
Environmental chamber allows imaging in controlled atmospheres. Ports and fittings enable gases, liquids and probes to be introduced to the chamber
Scanners : Lateral range X-Y imaging area up to 50 μm x 50 μm; Vertical (Z) range ¡ 7μm;
AFM stands for Atomic Force Microscopy or Atomic Force Microscope and is often called the "Eye of Nanotechnology". AFM, also referred to as SPM or Scanning Probe Microscopy, is a high-resolution imaging technique that can resolve features as small as an atomic lattice in the real space. It allows researchers to observe and manipulate molecular and atomic level features.
AFM works by bringing a cantilever tip in contact with the surface to be imaged. An ionic repulsive force from the surface applied to the tip bends the cantilever upwards. The amount of bending, measured by a laser spot reflected on to a split photo detector, can be used to calculate the force. By keeping the force constant while scanning the tip across the surface, the vertical movement of the tip follows the surface profile and is recorded as the surface topography by the AFM.
The predecessor of AFM is STM, Scanning Tunneling Microscopy or the Scanning Tunneling Microscope, was invented in 1981 by G. Binnig and H. Rohrer who shared the 1986 Nobel Prize in Physics for their invention. An excellent technique, STM is limited to imaging conducting surfaces.
Atomic Force Microscopy has much broader potential and application because it can be used for imaging any conducting or non-conducting surface. The number of applications for AFM has exploded since it was invented in 1986 and now encompass many fields of nanoscience and nanotechnology. It provides the ability to view and understand events as they occur at the molecular level which will increase our understanding of how systems work and lead to new discoveries in many fields. These include life science, materials science, electrochemistry, polymer science, biophysics, nanotechnology, and biotechnology.
Instructions for Registration, Sample Preparation, User Instructions, Precautionary Measures and Charges
Registration: To avail the SPM-I@MEMS (Atomic Force Microscope) Facility, located in the Room
Number G021, Ground floor of the Department of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science, IIT
Bombay, registration is absolutely essential.
Registration Process:
I) Internal Users:
User within IIT Bombay can apply from
https://drona.ircc.iitb.ac.in/ircc/NewFac/CentralFacilityIndex.jsp?facilityCode=MT005
The form should be completely filled up and all the sample details must be provided in the requisition
form. The user needs to stay in the laboratory during the entire duration of the experiment, as per the slot
assigned. If a user wishes to change his/her time slot, an email should be sent immediately to
spm_mems@iitb.ac.in requesting change in appointment.
II) External Users:
Registration Link:
https://rnd.iitb.ac.in/research-facility/scanning-probe-microscope-facility-i
External Users can register through above link. External Payment should be made in advance by a
Demand Draft (DD) drawn in favour of “The Registrar, IIT Bombay, P and C Account". The same should
be sent to “Prof. Dipti Gupta, Convener, Scanning Probe Microscope Facility (SPM) -I, Central Facility,
Department of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science, IIT Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076”.
Appointments will be given after complete registration and payment. Any query related to the sample
preparation should be emailed to “spm_mems@iitb.ac.in”
Academic Institutions:
You can come personally or send a letter from the Guide/HoD on the Institution’s Original Letter Head
stating that the analysis is for research purpose, to qualify for academic concession along with the
Registration Form and Demand draft. The letter should be addressed to “Prof. Dipti Gupta, Convener,
Scanning Probe Microscope Facility (SPM) -I, Central Facility, Department of Metallurgical
Engineering and Materials Science, IIT Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076”
Industry & Non- Government Agencies:
You can come personally or send a letter signed by an authorized signatory of your Institution on Original
Letter Head along with the Registration Form and Demand draft. The letter should be addressed to “Prof.
Dipti Gupta, Convener, Scanning Probe Microscope Facility (SPM) -I, Central Facility, Department of
Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science, IIT Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076”
National R & D Lab’s:
You can come personally or send a letter signed by an authorized signatory of your Institution on Original
Letter Head stating that the analysis is for research purpose along with the Registration Form and Demand
draft. The letter should be addressed to “Prof. Dipti Gupta, Convener, Scanning Probe Microscope
Facility (SPM) -I, Central Facility, Department of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science, IIT
Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076”
You are requested to check the appropriate box in the registration form if you agree (or not) to
acknowledge the Scanning Probe Microscope Facility -I (SPM) @ MEMS of IIT BOMBAY in your
Publications/Reports/Thesis/Product development/prototype development/ proof of concept in which
the data is used.
If you agree, you are requested to mention in your request letter that “We agree to acknowledge the
Scanning Probe Microscope -I (SPM) Central Facility of IIT Bombay when the data obtained from this
facility are used in our Publications/Reports/Thesis/Product development/prototype development/ proof
of concept”. List of such acknowledgements with appropriate reference will be communicated to SPM-I
@MEMS facility vide email to “spm_mems@iitb.ac.in”.
Kindly send the publication reference (Journal name/volume number/names of the authors/date of issue
of the publication etc) to us as the continuing functioning of the lab needs this feedback.
In view of the directive from IRCC to increase the funds collected from usage of the
SPM-I@ MEMS facility, the SPM-I@ MEMS. FMC have decided on the following
new rates for internal and external users:
• IIT Bombay users: 1000 INR/slot (A slot is 3 hrs)
• Academic & National Labs: 5000 INR/slot + 18% GST
• Industry: 8000 INR/slot + 18% GST
A 50% discount will be provided for users bringing their own tips.
Users are requested to arrive at the scheduled appointment time. TA's will not be
responsible to carry out the experiment in case user is late by more than 30 minutes.
The new charges will be effective 1st June 2022 onwards.
The slot cancellation policy will be as follows:
• Upto 24 hours before slot time: no cancellation charges will be levied.
• Upto 12 hours before slot time: 50% cancellation charge will be levied.
• Less than 12 hours before slot time: full slot charges will be levied.
For slot cancellation, user has to notify by sending an email to 30004112@iitb.ac.in
1. The experimental data provided is only for research / development purposes. These cannot
be used as certificates in legal disputes.
2. The users should know the approximate roughness of the sample before submission for
analysis.
3. MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) should be given along with samples to ensure that the
samples are not toxic or hazardous. Samples will not be accepted unless accompanied by
MSDS.
4. The Sample will be mounted on steel disc with the help of double-sided adhesive tape for
strong adhesion, so the sample may get damaged during removal.
5. Please bring a CD with you for data collection.
Applications
Life Science
Material Science
Polymer Science
Electrical characterization
Nanolithography
Nano-grafting
Biotechnology