ABSTRACT
The probe of a scanning probe microscope directly touches the
target molecule or indirectly senses the interaction force from
the specimen surface and visualizes various internal and external
properties of the specimen. The tip of the probe, therefore, is
one of the most important parts of the microscope and has
been playing an important role in the development of various
application techniques. Probes vary in material, shape (size),
electronic property, and surfacemodification. AFM cantilever probes
also have variety in their shapes and surface coatings, but because of
their chemical stability, modification of the probe surface requires
special reactive compounds and reaction processes. Procedures for
chemical modifications and subsequent cross-linking reactions with
various biomolecules (protein, DNA, ligand, lipid, etc.) have been
developed in the recent years and made large contributions in the
application of AFM. In this chapter, the procedures of chemical
modifications of the probe, including their reaction mechanisms,
and their applications for protein coupling are described.
