Nanoscopic vibrations by bacteria adhering to surfaces

Bacterial adhesion occurs on virtually all natural or man-made surfaces. The investigation of bacterial adhesion has been intensified during the past decade and led to a better understanding of the underlying adhesion mechanisms. An important area of research in this field is related to the attractive forces involved in the interactions between bacteria and substratum surfaces. Many theoretical models and technical methods have been developed, trying to infer or measure the strength and character of this attraction. The analysis of Brownian motion induced bacterial vibrations provides a novel, convenient and direct way to characterize the viscoelastic bond between the bacterium and the substratum.