Interaction forces with carbohydrates measured by atomic force microscopy

In this contribution we review the use of an atomic force microscope for measurement of intermolecular forces. Intermolecular force measurements are achieved by studying the dependence of the force between the probe (tip) and the sample as a function of the separation, usually known as force-distance curves. The local character of the tip-sample interaction in force microscopy makes this technique unique for single molecule characterization. A precise intermolecular force measurement requires the controlled attachment of the molecules of interest to the probe and the sample. Here, we describe the functionalization of both surfaces by means of self-assembled monolayers. A precise control of the chemical environment is also required. We describe the method to measure single intermolecular interactions between carbohydrates molecules via self-assembled monolayers of neoglycoconjugates.