Patent ID: 8656510

Claim:
An integrated system for simultaneous AFM and fluorescence measurements and interrogation of a sample, including a single molecule, comprising: a. a piezoelectric stage having a sample interrogation location; b. an AFM scanner with AFM probe and an AFM laser aimed at the AFM probe; c. at least one of the stage and/or the scanner with at least one degree of freedom of movement adjustability; d. a confocal objective lens having an optical path between and extending from a sample side and an opposite side, the optical path alignable with the sample interrogation location on the stage; e. an FM laser excitation source configured for optical communication with the optical path on the opposite side of and then through the objective lens to the sample interrogation location on the stage; f. an FM detector configured for optical communication with the optical path on the opposite side of the lens to simultaneously receive: i. reflections of the FM laser from the AFM probe to record movement and location of the AFM probe; and ii. fluorescence from a sample excited by the FM laser excitation source to record FM information.