New SPM-9700 Scanning Probe Microscope – Easy to Operate, with High Quality Observation Image

With the release of a new scanning probe microscope (SPM-9700) featuring new software that sets a new standard for easy operation, Shimadzu Corporation has launched a market offensive in the field of scanning probe microscopes. From observation to data analysis, operations are easier, while providing high quality data.

Scanning probe microscopes (SPM) are used to observe the three-dimensional image of sample surfaces at high magnifications by scanning the sample surface with an extremely sharp probe. They allow observing the surfaces of metals, semiconductors, ceramics, organic matter, biological organisms, and other samples at high magnifications, ranging from a few 1000 times to a few million times magnification, without pretreating the surfaces. They also offer superior vertical resolution, in the direction of sample height, which enables precisely measuring the roughness of material surfaces. In addition to allowing high resolution observation in the nanometer range, they are also capable of observing samples in either atmospheric conditions or in liquids. Such applications are spreading in research fields, such as surface physics, electronics, chemistry, and biology, and has contributed to the development of nanosciences and nanotechnologies.

Note: 1 nanometer = 10-9 m, which is about the diameter of a protein molecule or a DNA double-helix structure.

The new SPM-9700 is the successor model to the SPM-9600 scanning probe microscope, which has earned a reputation among users for its easy operation and clear and high quality images. This new model not only offers further improvements to ease-of-operation for general users, which is one of Shimadzu's strengths, but also features higher performance and stability levels for the main unit.