Low Drift Scanning Probe Microscope

摘要

A scanning probe microscope, such as an atomic force microscope, and method including z-stage and a bridge structure. A scanner containing a probe is mounted to the z-stage, which is movable in the z-axis to raise and lower the probe. The method reduces thermal drift of the z-stage and the bridge using a combination of heating elements thermally coupled to the z-stage and the bridge, ambient temperature sensors, and a controller to actively control the heating elements to maintain the bridge and the z-stage at an elevated temperature. Ideally, the temperatures in the system are selected so as to reduce drift between the probe and the sample during AFM scanning, wherein the drift is preferably maintained at less than about 1 nm for an ambient temperature change of about 1° C.

主权项

1. A method of minimizing drift in an atomic force microscope during scanning of a sample, wherein the microscope includes a probe mounted to a support structure formed of a material substantially free of Invar®, the method comprising:
providing a heating element including at least one resistive element mounted on a printed circuit board that is adhesively bonded to an exterior surface of the support structure; pre-heating the support structure with the heating element to a pre-defined temperature, wherein the pre-defined temperature exceeds that of an amount of heat generated in the support structure during scanning the sample; monitoring a temperature of the support structure during scanning of the sample; and heating the support structure with the heating element during scanning of the sample to maintain the temperature of the support structure substantially at the pre-defined temperature.