Regensburg 2010 – scientific programme

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O: Fachverband Oberflächenphysik

O 22: Methods: Scanning probe techniques III

O 22.3: Talk

Tuesday, March 23, 2010, 11:00–11:15, H32

An atomic force microscope scanner for high speed, large range and high resolution imaging — •Christoph Braunsmann and Tilman Schäffer — Lehrstuhl für Angewandte Physik, Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Staudtstr. 7, Bau A3, 91058 Erlangen

We constructed a high-speed AFM for imaging large areas at high resolution. This involved significantly increasing the bandwidth of every single AFM component. Besides the electronics, the data acquisition system and the cantilever, one important such component is the scanner. By using finite element modeling we developed a fast three-dimensional scanner based on piezo stacks and flexures. The scanner design is modular and allows for an easy exchange of the x- and y-piezos. Large x- and y-piezos achieve scan sizes of up to 23 µm × 23 µm, which is the largest scan size for a feedback-controlled xyz high-speed scanner reported to-date. Smaller x- and y-piezos can be employed giving high lateral resolution. We demonstrated the high speed performance of the new scanner by imaging collagen fibrils in air (14 images/s) and calcite dissolution in hydrochloric acid (10 images/s) with small cantilevers (18 µm in length). Tip-sample velocities of up to 8.8 mm/s and z-piezo velocities of up to 11 mm/s were reached while scanning. By resolving the hexagonal lattice of the (001) cleavage plane of muscovite mica with a small cantilever in water we showed that the scanner is not only suited for high-speed imaging at large range, but can also give resolution on the atomic scale.