US based Advanced Diamond Technologies (ADT) has announced its first distribution agreement for its new product family NaDiaProbes, said to be the world's first all-diamond probes for atomic force microscopy (AFM).

Nanoscience Instruments, a leading US-based distributor of nanotechnology instrumentation and supplies, will become the first distributor of NaDiaProbes, which have clear advantages for many applications, especially where tip durability is concerned. ADT expect them to be instrumental in solving current and future challenges in nanotechnology R&D. The market for microprobes and tips is expected to grow from 2007 to 2012 at a compound annual growth rate of 20-25%.

NaDiaProbes benefit from the unsurpassed hardness of diamond and will outlast standard silicon probes when imaging hard surfaces without sacrificing tip sharpness. They also provide enhanced imaging performance on soft, sticky samples because of the low adhesion and low surface energy of diamond. They are suited for a wide variety of standard imaging applications as well as for applications in nanoscale metrology, inspection, and manufacturing.

ADT is a world leader in developing and applying diamond films for industrial, electronic, and medical applications. Nanoscience Instruments provides hundreds of products and services for nanoscience and supports research and engineering at universities, government laboratories, and industrial R&D facilities around the world. Product offerings include atomic force microscopes, 3D optical profilometers, and accessories for these and other high resolution microscopy techniques. Nanoscience offers a broad line of consumable items that includes AFM probes, chemicals for surface modification, STM supplies, and teaching materials and samples.