DT-NCLR

Cantilever data:
Property Nominal Value Specified Range
Resonance Frequency [kHz] 210 155 - 275
Force Constant [N/m] 72 34 - 142
Length [µm] 225 215 - 235
Mean Width [µm] 37.5 30 - 45
Thickness [µm] 7 6 - 8
Order codes and shipping units:
Order Code AFM probes per pack Data sheet
DT-NCLR-10 10 of all probes
DT-NCLR-20 20 of all probes
DT-NCLR-50 50
NANOSENSORS™ Diamond Coated PointProbe Plus Silicon AFM Probes

Diamond Coated Tip - Non-Contact/Tapping Mode - Long Cantilever - Reflex Coating

NANOSENSORS™ DT-NCLR AFM probes are designed for non-contact mode or tapping mode AFM (also known as: attractive or dynamic mode). The NCL type is offered as an alternative to NANOSENSORS™ high frequency non-contact probee (NCH). The NCL type AFM cantilever is recommended if the feedback loop of the microscope does not accept high frequencies (400 kHz) or if the detection system needs a minimum AFM cantilever length > 125 µm. Compared to the high frequency non-contact type NCH the maximum scanning speed is slightly reduced. This AFM probe combines high operation stability with outstanding sensitivity and fast scanning ability.

For applications that require hard contact between AFM tip and sample this sensor offers a real diamond tip-side coating. This coating features extremely high wear resistance due to the unsurpassed hardness of diamond. The typical macroscopic AFM tip radius of curvature is between 100 and 200 nm. Nanoroughnesses in the 10 nm regime improve the resolution on flat surfaces.

The AFM probe offers unique features:

  • real diamond coating
  • AFM tip height 10 - 15 µm
  • high mechanical Q-factor for high sensitivity
  • alignment grooves on backside of silicon holder chip
  • precise alignment of the AFM cantilever position (within +/- 2 µm) when used with the Alignment Chip
  • compatible with PointProbe® Plus XY-Alignment Series

The DT Diamond coating is an approximately 100 nm thick coating of polycrystalline diamond on the tip-side of the AFM cantilever leading to an unsurpassed hardness of the AFM tip. The raman spectrum of the coating verifies the real diamond coating.

The reflective coating is an approximately 30 nm thick aluminum coating on the detector side of the AFM cantilever which enhances the reflectivity of the laser beam by a factor of about 2.5. Furthermore it prevents light from interfering within the AFM cantilever. As the coating is nearly stress-free the bending of the AFM cantilever due to stress is less than 2 degrees.

This AFM probe features alignment grooves on the back side of the holder chip. These grooves fit to the NANOSENSORS Alignment Chip.


Aubin C. Normand, Anne M. Charrier, Olivier Arnould & Aude L. Lereu
Influence of force volume indentation parameters and processing method in wood cell walls nanomechanical studies
nature Scientific Reports volume 11, Article number: 5739 (2021)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-84994-0  


Jiqiang Wang, Yongda Yan, Shunyu Chang, Yimin Han, Yanquan Geng
Label-free surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy detection of absorption manner of lysozyme based on nanodots arrays
Applied Surface Science, Volume 509, 15 April 2020, 145332
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2020.145332


Jiqiang Wang, Yongda Yan, Shunyu Chang, Tong Wang, Yanquan Geng and Yang Gan
Study of the formation mechanism of bundle structures using AFM tip-based nanoscratching approach
Tribology International, Volume 142, February 2020, 106000
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.triboint.2019.106000


Jiqiang Wang, Yongda Yan, Yanquan Geng, Yang Gan and Zhua Fang
Fabrication of polydimethylsiloxane nanofluidic chips under AFM tip-based nanomilling process
Nanoscale Research Letters volume 14, Article number: 136 (2019)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s11671-019-2962-6


Yongda Yan,, Jiqiang Wang, Shunyu Chang, Yanquan Geng, Leyi Chen and Yang Gan
Nanofluidic devices prepared by an atomic force microscopy-based single-scratch approach
Royal Society of Chemistry Adv., 2019, 9, 38814-38821
DOI: 10.1039/C9RA06428A


Arnaud Caron
Quantitative Hardness Measurement by Instrumented AFM-indentation
JOVE, J. Vis. Exp. 2016 (117), e54706
DOI: 10.3791/54706


A. Caron, D. V. Louzguine-Luzguin and R. Bennewitz
Structure vs Chemistry: Friction and Wear of Pt-Based Metallic Surfaces
ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 2013, 5, 21, 11341–11347
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/am403564a


Qing-Yuan Lin, Guangyin Jing, Yang-Bo Zhou, Yi-Fan Wang, Jie Meng, Ya-Qing Bie, Da-Peng Yu and Zhi-Min Liao
Stretch-Induced Stiffness Enhancement of Graphene Grown by Chemical Vapor Deposition
ACS Nano 2013, 7, 2, 1171–1177
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/nn3053999


D. I. Konopinski, S. Hudziak, R.M. Morgan, P.A. Bull, A.J. Kenyon
Investigation of quartz grain surface textures by atomic force microscopy for forensic analysis
Forensic Science International, Volume 223, Issues 1–3, 30 November 2012, Pages 245-255
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2012.09.011