Shinji WATANABE
Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI),
Kanazawa University, Japan

Probing and characterizing nano-bio interfaces byscanning ion conductance microscopy
Shinji WATANABE

Contact : wshinji [at sign] se.kanazawa-u.ac.jp

Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, Japan

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Scanning probe techniques with a glass capillary have been widely exploited in the characterization of physical,

Research Interests
Scanning Ion conductance microscopy, Nanoscience, Nanofluidics, Solid-liquid Interfaces,

chemical, and biological properties of nano-bio interfaces. Among these techniques, scanning ion conductancemicroscopy (SICM) has played an essential role in the visualization of live cell surfaces with nanometer-scale resolution.
SICM uses an electrolyte-filled glass pipette as a probe to detect an ion current passing through an aperture of thepipette tip. The ion current variation depending on the distance between the pipette tip and sample surface reflects
various local information of sample surfaces under a liquid environment, such as geometry, surface charge, andmechanical properties of the sample (Fig. 1). However, a longstanding drawback of SICM is an insufficient

Education
2006

spatiotemporal resolution. We have devoted to improve the insufficiency of SICM to realize wide-range applicability ofDoctor of Science, Graduate School Science and Technology, Niigata University

SICM for the investigation of nano-bio interfaces[1-4]. Here we show recent progress of our
improvements and applications using ourProfessional Career

instrument. We developed a tip-scan-type high-2006
2006 - 2007
2007
2007 - 20092009 - 20122012 - 20172017 - 2020
2020 - presenta c t i v e d a m p i n g c o n t ro l m e t h o d t o re d u c e

JST-CREST Postdoctoral Fellow, Niigata University
JST- SORST Postdoctoral Fellow, Niigata University

unwanted vibrations due to the driving of thescanner [2], and the signal enhancement method

Assistant Professor, Department of Physics, Tohoku University

with an ion concentration gradient produced inAssistant Professor, Center for the Advancement of Higher Education, Tohoku University

the vicinity of the tip [2]. These improvements

JST-ERATO Postdoctoral Fellow, Tohoku University
Assistant Professor, Bio-AFM Frontier Research Center, Kanazawa UniversityAssistant Professor, Nano Life Science Institute, Kanazawa University

allow us not only to visualize dynamic biologicalprocesses occurring in soft cell surfaces with highroughness but also to map local mechanicalproperties of live cell surface.

Fig. 1: Probing nano-bio interfaces by SICM

Associate Professor, Nano Life Science Institute, Kanazawa University

Scientific Activities
2004 - 20122012 - present

speed SICM scanner with a large stroke [1], anSpin physics and quantum transport in strongly correlated electron systems.
Instrumentation and applications of scanning ion conductance microscopy.

References[ 1 ] S. Watanabe, and T. Ando, "High-speed XYZ-nanopositioner for scanning ion conductance microscopy" Appl.
Phys. Lett. 111, 113106, (2017).

Publications
1.

K. Shigyou, L. Sun, R. Yajima, S. Takigaura, M. Tajima, H. Furusho, Y. Kikuchi, K. Miyazawa, T. Fukuma, A. Taoka, T. Ando, S. Watanabe, "Geometrical
Characterization of Glass Nanopipettes with Sub-10-nm Pore Diameter by Transmission Electron Microscopy" Anal. Chem. accepted.

2.

S. Watanabe, S. Kitazawa, L. Sun, N. Kodera, and T. Ando, "Development of High-Speed Ion Conductance Microscopy" Rev. Sci. Instrum. 90(12),123704 (2019).
L. Sun, K. Shigyou, T. Ando, and S. Watanabe, "Thermally Driven Approach to Fill Sub-10-nm Pipettes with Batch Production" Anal. Chem. 91,

3. 14080, (2019).

4. S. Watanabe, and T. Ando, "High-speed XYZ-nanopositioner for scanning ion conductance microscopy" Appl. Phys. Lett. 111, 113106, (2017).

26[ 2 ] S. Watanabe, S. Kitazawa, L. Sun, N. Kodera, and T. Ando, "Development of High-Speed Ion Conductance Microscopy" Rev. Sci. Instrum. 90(12), 123704 (2019).
[ 3 ] L. Sun, K. Shigyou, T. Ando, and S. Watanabe, "Thermally Driven Approach to Fill Sub-10-nm Pipettes with Batch
Production" Anal. Chem. 91, 14080, (2019).
[ 4 ] K. Shigyou, L. Sun, R. Yajima, S. Takigaura, M. Tajima, H. Furusho, Y. Kikuchi, K. Miyazawa, T. Fukuma, A. Taoka, T.
Ando, S. Watanabe, "Geometrical Characterization of Glass Nanopipettes with Sub-10-nm Pore Diameter by Transmission Electron Microscopy" Anal. Chem. accepted.

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