Scanning tunneling microscopy of lipid films and embedded biomolecules

J. K.H. Hörber, C. A. Lang, T. W. Hänsch, W. M. Heckl, H. Möhwald

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

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Abstract

We have observed the ordered molecular structure of fatty acid and phospholipid Langmuir-Blodgett films with a scanning tunneling microscope. Besides confirming earlier studies of cadmium arachidate bilayers on graphite, we have observed bilayers of di-myristoyl-phosphatic acid (DMPA) on cleaved graphite, and studied monolayers of DMPA on oxidized graphite and on gold-coated calcite in air. We present the first images of a bilayer containing the protein concanavalin A. These experiments confirm the possibility of obtaining STM images by electron transport through layers of organic molecules more than 50 Å thick. Sample preparation, microscopic technique, and results are discussed.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)151-158
Number of pages8
JournalChemical Physics Letters
Volume145
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 1988

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