SUMMARY

The focus of this research is microfabrication of high-bandwidth, self-actuated atomic force microscopy (AFM) micro cantilevers for characterizing bimolecular interactions. The high actuation bandwidth of these cantilevers increases the probe sampling distance which in turn helps to determine biomolecular potentials with a higher spatial resolution than what would have been possible through thermal vibrations alone. The high actuation bandwidth is obtained by integrating a fast piezoelectric actuator onto the cantilever itself. The higher actuation capability of the fabricated microcantilevers will enable us to probe deeper potential wells of intermolecular interactions. To determine energy landscapes of biological interactions, techniques are developed to measure the potentials of biotin-avidin binding by utilizing the Brownian noise of cantilever’s deflection signal. Through this technique, we will be able to predict bimolecular bond strengths and bond ranges.