DOPC:DPPC lipid bilayer imaged using blueDrive photothermal excitation

Lipid bilayers consisting of 50:50 DOPC and DPPC were deposited on mica and imaged in water using blueDrive photothermal excitation and tapping mode on a Cypher S AFM with an Olympus AC40 cantilever. The 2048 x 2048 pixel image was collected at a line scan rate of 3.2 Hz. Image size 3 µm. This lipid mixture is known to be sensitive to small temperature perturbations near room temperature, as the transition temperatures for DOPC and DPPC are -17°C and 41°C, respectively. The ability to image the sample using blueDrive without affecting its structure is a strong indicator that the blue laser does not significantly heat the sample under these conditions.