Proximity effect on hydrodynamic interaction between a sphere and a plane measured by Force Feedback Microscopy at different frequencies

In this article, we measure the viscous damping $G'',$ and the associated stiffness $G',$ of a liquid flow in sphere-plane geometry in a large frequency range. In this regime, the lubrication approximation is expected to dominate. We first measure the static force applied to the tip. This is made possible thanks to a force feedback method. Adding a sub-nanometer oscillation of the tip, we obtain the dynamic part of the interaction with solely the knowledge of the lever properties in the experimental context using a linear transformation of the amplitude and phase change. Using a Force Feedback Microscope (FFM)we are then able to measure simultaneously the static force, the stiffness and the dissipative part of the interaction in a broad frequency range using a single AFM probe. Similar measurements have been performed by the Surface Force Apparatus with a probe radius hundred times bigger. In this context the FFM can be called nano-SFA

Imaging material properties of biological samples with a Force Feedback Microscope

Mechanical properties of biological samples have been imaged with a \textit{Force Feedback Microscope}. Force, force gradient and dissipation are measured simultaneously and quantitatively, merely knowing the AFM cantilever spring constant. Our first results demonstrate that this robust method provides quantitative high resolution force measurements of the interaction The little oscillation imposed to the cantilever and the small value of its stiffness result in a vibrational energy much smaller than the thermal energy, reducing the interaction with the sample to a minimum. We show that the observed mechanical properties of the sample depend on the force applied by the tip and consequently on the sample indentation. Moreover, the frequency of the excitation imposed to the cantilever can be chosen arbitrarily, opening the way to frequency-dependent studies in biomechanics, sort of spectroscopic AFM investigations

Spectroscopic investigation of local mechanical impedance of living cells

The mechanical properties of PC12 living cells have been studied at the nanoscale with a Force Feedback Microscope using two experimental approaches. Firstly, the local mechanical impedance of the cell membrane has been mapped simultaneously to the cell morphology at constant force. As the force of the interaction is gradually increased, we observed the appearance of the sub-membrane cytoskeleton. We shall compare the results obtained with this method with the measurement of other existing techniques. Secondly, a spectroscopic investigation has been performed varying the indentation of the tip in the cell membrane and consequently the force applied on it. In contrast with conventional dynamic atomic force microscopy techniques, here the small oscillation amplitude of the tip is not necessarily imposed at the cantilever first eigenmode. This allows the user to arbitrarily choose the excitation frequency in developing spectroscopic AFM techniques. The mechanical response of the PC12 cell membrane is found to be frequency dependent in the 1 kHz - 10 kHz range. The damping coefficient is reproducibly observed to decrease when the excitation frequency is increased.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figure

Out of equilibrium anomalous elastic response of a water nano-meniscus

We report the observation of a transition in the dynamical properties of water nano-menicus which dramatically change when probed at different time scales. Using a AFM mode that we name Force Feedback Microscopy, we observe this change in the simultaneous measurements, at different frequencies, of the stiffness G'(N/m), the dissipative coefficient G''(kg/sec) together with the static force. At low frequency we observe a negative stiffness as expected for capillary forces. As the measuring time approaches the microsecond, the dynamic response exhibits a transition toward a very large positive stiffness. When evaporation and condensation gradually lose efficiency, the contact line progressively becomes immobile. This transition is essentially controlled by variations of Laplace pressure

Variation of Burkholderia cenocepacia cell wall morphology and mechanical properties during cystic fibrosis lung infection, assessed by atomic force microscopy

The influence that Burkholderia cenocepacia adaptive evolution during long-term infection in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients has on cell wall morphology and mechanical properties is poorly understood despite their crucial role in cell physiology, persistent infection and pathogenesis. Cell wall morphology and physical properties of three B. cenocepacia isolates collected from a CF patient over a period of 3.5 years were compared using atomic force microscopy (AFM). These serial clonal variants include the first isolate retrieved from the patient and two late isolates obtained after three years of infection and before the patient's death with cepacia syndrome. A consistent and progressive decrease of cell height and a cell shape evolution during infection, from the typical rods to morphology closer to cocci, were observed. The images of cells grown in biofilms showed an identical cell size reduction pattern. Additionally, the apparent elasticity modulus significantly decreases from the early isolate to the last clonal variant retrieved from the patient but the intermediary highly antibiotic resistant clonal isolate showed the highest elasticity values. Concerning the adhesion of bacteria surface to the AFM tip, the first isolate was found to adhere better than the late isolates whose lipopolysaccharide (LPS) structure loss the O-antigen (OAg) during CF infection. The OAg is known to influence Gram-negative bacteria adhesion and be an important factor in B. cenocepacia adaptation to chronic infection. Results reinforce the concept of the occurrence of phenotypic heterogeneity and adaptive evolution, also at the level of cell size, form, envelope topography and physical properties during long-term infection

Blobs in Wolf-Rayet Winds: Random Photometric and Polarimetric Variability

Some isolated Wolf-Rayet stars present random variability in their optical flux and polarization. We make the assumption that such variability is caused by the presence of regions of enhanced density, i.e. blobs, in their envelopes. In order to find the physical characteristics of such regions we have modeled the stellar emission using a Monte Carlo code to treat the radiative transfer in an inhomogeneous electron scattering envelope. We are able to treat multiple scattering in the regions of enhanced density as well as in the envelope itself. The finite sizes of the source and structures in the wind are also taken into account. Most of the results presented here are based on a parameter study of models with a single blob. The effects due to multiple blobs in the envelope are considered to a more limited extent. Our simulations indicate that the density enhancements must have a large geometric cross section in order to produce the observed photopolarimetric variability. The sizes must be of the order of one stellar radius and the blobs must be located near the base of the envelope. These sizes are the same inferred from the widths of the sub-peaks in optical emission lines of Wolf-Rayet stars. Other early-type stars show random polarimetric fluctuations with characteristics similar to those observed in Wolf-Rayet stars, which may also be interpreted in terms of a clumpy wind. Although the origin of such structures is still unclear, the same mechanism may be working in different types of hot stars envelopes to produce such inhomogeneities.Comment: Accepted to ApJ. 17 pages + 6 figure