IMAGING CHARGED FUNCTIONAL-GROUPS WITH AN ATOMIC-FORCE MICROSCOPE OPERATED IN AQUEOUS-SOLUTIONS

Polar functional groups were introduced selectively onto micro-fabrica ted hydrophobic regions covered with alkane-thiol molecules. Force ima ges were obtained on the patterns of functional groups prepared by the Langmuir-Blodgett method. The atomic force microscope was operated in aqueous solutions to evaluate charged state and spatial distributions of functional groups on the substrate. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.