Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Determination of potential landscapes using video microscopy

  • Short Communication
  • Published:
Colloid and Polymer Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Colloidal particles are used to characterize microscopic potential landscapes, which are defined on a sample surface and arise in ensembles of particles. The positions of the particles are recorded using video microscopy. Analysis of the positions, which the particles occupy during their Brownian motion, yields the exact shape of the surface potential, in which the particles move. The underlying principle of our measurements is well-known from measurements using total internal reflection microscopy; in contrast to these measurements, our scheme can be expanded to measurements of inter-particle interactions. As an example, we demonstrate the measurement of interactions between two magnetic particles, sedimenting towards a potential barrier in a tilted geometry.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

References

  1. Prieve D (1999) Adv Colloid Interface Sci 82:93

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Nellen U, Dietrich J, Helden L, Chodankar S, Nygard K, van der Veen JF, Bechinger C (2011) Soft Mater 7:5360

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Rudhardt D, Bechinger C, Leiderer P (1998) Phys Rev Lett 81:1330

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Hertlein C, Helden L, Gambassi A, Dietrich S, Bechinger C (2008) Nature 451:172

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Crocker J, Grier D (1996) J Colloid Interf Sci 179:298

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Xia Y, Whitesides GM (1998) Angew Chem Int Ed 37:550

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Zahn K, Lenke R, Maret G (1999) Phys Rev Lett 82:2721

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Mangold K, Leiderer P, Bechinger C (2003) Phys Rev Lett 90:158302

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Chou CY, Payandeh B, Robert M (2006) Phys Rev E 73(4):041409

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Chou C, Eng B, Robert M (2006) J Chem Phys 124(4):044902

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the support of the SFB TR6.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. FB Physik, Universität Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany

    Christian Kreuter & Paul Leiderer

  2. Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany

    Artur Erbe

Authors
  1. Christian Kreuter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Paul Leiderer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Artur Erbe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Artur Erbe.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kreuter, C., Leiderer, P. & Erbe, A. Determination of potential landscapes using video microscopy. Colloid Polym Sci 290, 575–578 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00396-012-2589-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00396-012-2589-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation