Thin Solid Films, Vol.273, No.1-2, 289-296, 1996
Scanning Force Microscopy Characterization of Thin Lipid Films on a Substrate
The surface morphology and frictional property of self-assembled domains of ultrathin organic films adsorbed on a solid substrate have been studied by a commercially available scanning probe microscopy with an operation mode of simultaneous atomic force microscopy and lateral force microscopy measurements. Two lipid film systems have been studied; one is a film system formed from synthetic dialkyl lipid, N,N-dioctadecylsuccinamic acid, and the other is films formed from biological phospholipids such as dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), phosphatidylcholine, and phosphatidylethanolamine. The characteristic self-assembled domain structures as well as the local friction behaviors of the lipid films are presented. A preliminary result is also shown which suggests the hydrophobic alkyl tail groups appeared on multilamellar surfaces of DPPC film can be distinguished from the other hydrophilic polar headgroups.
Keywords:TUNNELING MICROSCOPY;FRICTION