Principles of SICM
The ICnano's novel approach to topographic scanning allows it to produce high-resolution images without making contact with the sample. This approach is of particular importance when scanning soft and living samples.
Either the sample or the pipette are scanned whilst the unique feed-back mechanism keeps the pipette at a fixed distance from the surface. The control system then moves the pipette over the sample to produce a 3-dimensional topographic image.
The feedback mechanism used by the ICnano® scanning ion conductance microscope works as follows:
Novak, P., Li, C., et al. (2009). "Nanoscale live-cell imaging using hopping probe ion conductance microscopy." Nature Methods, doi:10.1038/nmeth.1306
Klenerman, D., Y. E. Korchev. (2006). "Potential biomedical applications of the scanned nanopipette." Nanomedicine 1(1): 107-114
