Design and Fabrication of a High-Speed Atomic Force Microscope Scan-Head

A high-speed atomic force microscope (HS-AFM) requires a specialized set of hardware and software and therefore improving video-rate HS-AFMs for general applications is an ongoing process. To improve the imaging rate of an AFM, all components have to be carefully redesigned since the slowest component determines the overall bandwidth of the instrument. In this work, we present a design of a compact HS-AFM scan-head featuring minimal loading on the Z-scanner. Using a custom-programmed controller and a high-speed lateral scanner, we demonstrate its working by obtaining topographic images of Blu-ray disk data tracks in contact- and tapping-modes. Images acquired using a contact-mode cantilever with a natural frequency of 60 kHz in constant deflection mode show good tracking of topography at 400 Hz. In constant height mode, tracking of topography is demonstrated at rates up to 1.9 kHz for the scan size of 1μm×1μm with 100×100 pixels.

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Redesigned Sensor Holder for an Atomic Force Microscope with an Adjustable Probe Direction

International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing ◽

10.1007/s12541-021-00561-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Janik Schaude ◽

Maxim Fimushkin ◽

Tino Hausotte

Keyword(s):

Atomic Force Microscope ◽

Piezoelectric Actuator ◽

High Speed ◽

Closed Loop ◽

Coefficient Of Thermal Expansion ◽

Measuring System ◽

Contact Mode ◽

Loop Control ◽

Atomic Force ◽

Measuring Machine

AbstractThe article presents a redesigned sensor holder for an atomic force microscope (AFM) with an adjustable probe direction, which is integrated into a nano measuring machine (NMM-1). The AFM, consisting of a commercial piezoresistive cantilever operated in closed-loop intermitted contact-mode, is based on two rotational axes, which enable the adjustment of the probe direction to cover a complete hemisphere. The axes greatly enlarge the metrology frame of the measuring system by materials with a comparatively high coefficient of thermal expansion. The AFM is therefore operated within a thermostating housing with a long-term temperature stability of 17 mK. The sensor holder, connecting the rotational axes and the cantilever, inserted one adhesive bond, a soldered connection and a geometrically undefined clamping into the metrology circle, which might also be a source of measurement error. It has therefore been redesigned to a clamped senor holder, which is presented, evaluated and compared to the previous glued sensor holder within this paper. As will be shown, there are no significant differences between the two sensor holders. This leads to the conclusion, that the three aforementioned connections do not deteriorate the measurement precision, significantly. As only a minor portion of the positioning range of the piezoelectric actuator is needed to stimulate the cantilever near its resonance frequency, a high-speed closed-loop control that keeps the cantilever within its operating range using this piezoelectric actuator further on as actuator was implemented and is presented within this article.

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Modelling oscillatory flexure modes of an atomic force microscope cantilever in contact mode whilst imaging at high speed

Nanotechnology ◽

10.1088/0957-4484/23/26/265702 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 23 (26) ◽

pp. 265702 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

O D Payton ◽

L Picco ◽

M J Miles ◽

M E Homer ◽

A R Champneys

Keyword(s):

Atomic Force Microscope ◽

High Speed ◽

Atomic Force Microscope Cantilever ◽

Contact Mode ◽

Atomic Force ◽

Force Microscope Cantilever

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A Novel Non-Raster Scan Method for AFM Imaging

Volume 3: Modeling and Validation; Multi-Agent and Networked Systems; Path Planning and Motion Control; Tracking Control Systems; Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Application; Unmanned Ground and Aerial Vehicles; Vibration in Mechanical Systems; Vibrations and Control of Systems; Vibrations: Modeling, Analysis, and Control ◽

10.1115/dscc2018-9049 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Nastaran Nikooienejad ◽

Mohammad Maroufi ◽

S. O. Reza Moheimani

Keyword(s):

High Speed ◽

High Performance ◽

Tracking Error ◽

Contact Mode ◽

Force Microscopy ◽

Internal Model Principle ◽

Atomic Force ◽

Constant Height ◽

Afm Imaging ◽

Raster Scan

We report a new non-raster scan method based on a rosette pattern for high-speed atomic force microscopy (AFM). In this method, the lateral axes of the scanner are driven by the sum of two sinusoids with identical amplitudes and different frequencies. We formulate the problem so as to generate the rosette pattern and calculate scan parameters and resolution. To achieve high performance tracking, a controller is designed based on the internal model principle. The controller includes the dynamic modes of the reference signals and higher harmonics to cope with the system nonlinearities. We conduct an experiment employing the proposed method and a two degree of freedom microelectromechanical system nanopositioner to scan a circular-shaped area with a diameter of 6μm in 0.2 sec. The steady state tracking error is less than 4.48nm, i.e. only 9% of the selected resolution. AFM scanning is performed in contact mode constant height and high quality images are obtained.

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Faculty Opinions recommendation of A high-speed atomic force microscope for studying biological macromolecules.

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature ◽

10.3410/f.1002373.16711 ◽

2001 ◽

Author(s):

Jane Clarke

Keyword(s):

Atomic Force Microscope ◽

High Speed ◽

Biological Macromolecules ◽

Atomic Force

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Anin situatomic force microscope for normal-incidence nanofocus X-ray experiments

Journal of Synchrotron Radiation ◽

10.1107/s1600577516011437 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 23 (5) ◽

pp. 1110-1117 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

M. V. Vitorino ◽

Y. Fuchs ◽

T. Dane ◽

M. S. Rodrigues ◽

M. Rosenthal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Atomic Force Microscope ◽

High Speed ◽

Normal Incidence ◽

Organic Thin Film ◽

X Ray ◽

Atomic Force ◽

Synchrotron Beamlines

A compact high-speed X-ray atomic force microscope has been developed forin situuse in normal-incidence X-ray experiments on synchrotron beamlines, allowing for simultaneous characterization of samples in direct space with nanometric lateral resolution while employing nanofocused X-ray beams. In the present work the instrument is used to observe radiation damage effects produced by an intense X-ray nanobeam on a semiconducting organic thin film. The formation of micrometric holes induced by the beam occurring on a timescale of seconds is characterized.

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