[Spm] Preparing mica substrates

[Don Chernoff at ASM]

Gerard Oncins Marco asked about cutting mica sheets to fit in a multimode afm.
I use the procedure suggested to me by Helen or Paul Hansma in 1991:
a) cut the mica sheets in disk form using a simple tool and die punch.  We use a "Precision Brand" manual punch.  It can make 9 different sizes from 1/8" to 3/4".  I use the 1/2" diameter size
b) glue the mica disk to a steel disk
c) cleave the mica using scotch tape. If you don't see a fairly smooth circle on the scotch tape then try again.

In my work, I found that the punched disks produced better results (fewer defects on the surface) than I got by cutting squares with a scissors. Even so, I find that there can be variations in surface characteristics from sample to sample.  For example, some cleaved surfaces have hydrophobic regions that prevent water droplets from spreading smoothly.

I hope this helps.

regards,
Don
=============================================
Don Chernoff, Ph.D., President
Advanced Surface Microscopy, Inc.    E-Mail:  donc at asmicro.com
3250 N. Post Rd., Ste. 120           Voice:   317-895-5630
INDIANAPOLIS IN 46226  USA      Toll free: 800-374-8557 (in USA & Canada)
web:  http://www.asmicro.com         Fax:     317-895-5652
[business activities:  analytical services in AFM, AFM probes, consulting, training,
calibration and test specimens, calibration and measurement software,
 used NanoScope equipment.]
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original message.
Date: Thu, 08 Nov 2007 11:25:33 +0100
From: Gerard Oncins Marco <goncins at ub.edu>
Subject: [Spm] mica sheets

Hi everybody,
I am searching for highest quality mica to use it as a substrate for 
depositing biological samples (phospholipid bilayers, fatty acids, etc). 
We have been buying mica sheets for a while but I am not sure which is 
the best way to cut it into small pieces that fit inside our mmode head 
(when using a blade the sides of the mica piece flake and it's sort of a 
mess). Any advice about how to circumvent this problem will be really 
welcome.
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