P-2000
Laser Based
Micropipette Puller
The P-2000 micropipette
puller represents a significant advance in the technology
of fabrication of micropipettes, optical fiber probes, and
nanospray tips. The P-2000 integrates a CO2 laser-based heat
source with the technology derived from our extensive experience
with conventional pullers. This system offers capabilities
unmatched by other pullers.
While the P-2000 is
suitable for working with most conventional glasses, its
primary advantage is the ability to work with quartz glass
(fused silica). Quartz offers superior material properties
for a variety of research applications. Quartz is stronger
than other glasses and can facilitate penetration through
tough tissues which would normally break conventional pipettes.
For applications requiring a low noise glass, users will
find that quartz is the lowest noise glass available.
Quartz contains none of the metals used in conventional glasses.
Optically, quartz is virtually free from fluorescence when
illuminated.
A CO2 laser was selected
as the heat source for the P-2000 for several reasons. First,
the nominal emission wavelength of the laser approximates
the resonant
frequency of the SiO2 lattice in
glass. Thus, quartz and other conventional glasses can be
melted when the appropriate laser power is supplied. Second,
laser heat
is clean
and leaves no metal residue on the pipette as do conventional heating filaments.
Third, laser heat can be turned off instantly, leaving no residual filament
heat. Lastly, the user can program the amount and distribution of heat supplied
to
the glass.
The P-2000 can store
up to 100 separate programs, with each program consisting
of up to 8 command lines. Programmable parameters include; laser power
level, scan width, trip velocity, delay/ laser on time, and
hard pull strength.
One important consideration
for the use of the P-2000 is the diameter of the glass used.
The P-2000/G is designed to produce even heating on glass
up to
1.2 mm in outside diameter. Larger diameter glasses can be used with
the
P-2000/G (up to 1.5 mm quartz and 1.8 mm conventional glasses), but the
performance is
best with glass that is 1.2 mm diameter or less.
The P-2000/F works well
with small diameter glasses such as optical fibers, and with
small diameter fused silica capillary commonly used for the
manufacture of nanospray tips. Small diameter glass (outer diameter
in
the range of
0.125 mm to 0.6 mm) requires special puller bars as well as an optical
alignment
optimized
for the smaller diameter material.
As with larger diameter
glass, a wide range of tip sizes and taper geometries can
be produced with the P-2000/F and small diameter glass.
We have drawn
optical fiber tips ranging from less than 10µm to more than 5µm. Please consult
our technical staff for further information.
Features
• Capable of pulling
quartz, borosilicate and aluminosilicate glass.
• Fully programmable — including heating filament characteristics.
• The laser has no melting point limit as with conventional metal
filaments; and therefore, cannot be burned out.
• Pulls electrodes with tip diameters smaller than 0.03µm.
• Optimized velocity sensing circuit for maximized sensitivity
and reproducibility.
• Operating life of the CO2 laser is expected to be in excess
of ten years with normal use, after which the laser can be
refurbished by the Sutter Instrument Company for a nominal
charge.
• Individual programs
can be write-protected in order to secure them from inadvertent
changes.
• The total time
that the heat is on during the pull is displayed for improved
program development
and troubleshooting.
• A date and time stamp is displayed to show the last time that a program has been
changed.
• Preprogrammed
sample programs for intra-cellular and patch pipettes. Special
programming available upon request.
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