Micro- and nanocantilevers are employed in atomic force microscopy (AFM) and in micro- and nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMS and NEMS) as sensing elements. They enable nanomechanical measurements, are essential for the characterization of nanomaterials, and form an integral part of many nanoscale devices. Despite the fact that numerous methods described in the literature can be applied to det...

Spring constant calibration of the atomic force microscope (AFM) cantilever is of fundamental importance for quantifying the force between the AFM cantilever tip and the sample. The calibration within the framework of thin plate theory undoubtedly has a higher accuracy and broader scope than that within the well-established beam theory. However, thin plate theory-based accurate analytic determi...

At large NAs a micro-Fresnel zone plate produces a focal spot that is more elliptical than that produced by an objective lens with the same NA. Using this anisotropy we demonstrate a method for modulating the spring constant of an optical trap by rotating the linear input polarization. The focal spot ellipticity is enhanced by the apodization factor of the zone plate and its extremely high NA. ...

A number of genetically variant erythrocytes showed decreased deformability of both intact cells and membranes prepared therefrom as measured by laser diffractometry. Erythrocytes associated with minor or no clinical symptoms (eg, alpha-thalassemia traits, hemoglobin [Hb] E trait, Hb Constant Spring trait), which showed only a minimal decrease in deformability, were, in general, invaded efficie...

Quantitative force measurements performed using the atomic force microscope AFM inherently rely on calibration of the AFM cantilever spring constant to convert the measured deflection into a force. Here, we examine the effect of cantilever tilt and induced torque on the effective normal spring constant resulting from variable placement of the tip probe, as is frequently encountered in practice....

In this study, an impact behavior of spherical striker on a double-walled carbon nanotube (DWCNT) is presented based on a three degree of freedom spring-mass model and the finite element (FE) simulations. The semi-analytical solution of the transverse impact of a striker on a DWCNT is investigated by using the elasticity nonlocal theory of Euler-Bernoulli (EBT) and Timoshenko (TBT) nanobeams. T...

Elastic mechanisms are fundamental to fast and efficient movements. Mantis shrimp power their fast raptorial appendages using a conserved network of exoskeletal springs, linkages and latches. Their appendages are fantastically diverse, ranging from spears to hammers. We measured the spring mechanics of 12 mantis shrimp species from five different families exhibiting hammer-shaped, spear-shaped ...