FAQ: Questions, Answers, Advice and Opinion
Contents:
These scanners are for the NanoScope small sample AFM and STM, respectively. In the small AFM, the sample mounts on the scanner (a magnet holds the steel disk) In the small STM, the tip mounts on the scanner.
In the NanoScope AFM, automatic approach is provided using a stepper motor in the AFM base. This motor turns one of the three adjustment screws in the scanner.
- The TGT01 specimen from NT-MDT is an array of spikes
- A well-characterized stamper can be useful, when analyzed with DiscTrack Plus.
- The 300-2D specimen is an array of posts and may be useful.
- You can glue our SiN probes onto blank Topometrix probe carriers.
-- I don’t know. Ask ThermoMicroscopes. Just a guess: perhaps cyano-acrylate glue (“Krazy glue” in US) would work.
-- I don’t know what the manufacturing tolerance is. You need to ask for technical support at ThermoMicroscopes.
-- Yes.
Yes. First, make a backup copy of your image files. Then, use the following procedure (given for version 4.23 software- other versions are similar): Start Z, go to offline, open the image file you want to change, go to Modify – Parameter. The Parameter command allows the Z range and Scan size of a captured image to be rescaled based on new sensitivity information. For example, suppose you found that the original height measurements were too low by 5%. Record the Z range value displayed in the dialog box. Multiply it by 1.05 and enter the result in Z range. When the image is re-displayed, you will measure the corrected height.
These calibration specimens are fabricated using a silicon wafer substrate which is overcoated with a polymer material. A precision, laser-generated, interference pattern is recorded in this material and then overcoated with about 50 nm of tungsten. This provides a reasonably durable coating and an electrically conductive path to ground. The (-1D) specimen pattern consists of ridges and the (-2D) specimen pattern consists of posts.
We have found experimentally that they cannot be used in STM. It appears that the STM tip must penetrate the oxide layer on the W in order to achieve tunneling. The extreme pressure created by the tip breaks through the W coating and tunneling becomes unstable.
It may be possible to overcoat the specimen with a noble metal to achieve more stable tunneling and we would be happy to learn of customer success in that area.
--yes
--no
--The physical size is 4 x 3 x 0.5 mm. The entire area is covered with the pattern.
--These calibration specimens are fabricated using a silicon wafer substrate which is overcoated with a polymer material. A precision, laser-generated, interference pattern is recorded in this material and then overcoated with about 50 nm of tungsten. This provides a reasonably durable coating and an electrically conductive path to ground. The (-1D) specimen pattern consists of ridges and the (-2D) specimen pattern consists of posts.
We provide basic and advanced spm training, customized to meet the customer’s needs. The emphasis is on hands on operation with discussion of general skills as well as techniques that are specific to your samples. We can come to your site to work with you on your equipment or you can come to our laboratory.
In our laboratory, 3 PostScript printers are available for making hard copies of NanoScope Images:
- Tektronix Phaser IIsdx color glossy printer
- Lexmark Optra R, 1200 dpi laser printer
- NEC Silentwriter 95, 300 dpi laser printer (for 'emergency'
use only)
Our favorite is the Lexmark Optra R laser printer. In
December, 1995, we purchased this printer. We have found it to be very
reliable and extremely useful.
A typical type of image that we print is a NanoScope III dual image (height and phase data), which consists of two 512x512 pixel images side by side. Each image is 110 mm wide on the printed page, so the total printed area is110x220 mm. There are 3 factors that are important to us:
For reference, our computer configuration is as follows:
NanoScope III is connected on a Local area network (ethernet,
10 Mbps) to a file server (Pentium, 133 MHz, 16 MB Ram, running Windows
95). The Lexmark is equipped with the 8 MB RAM upgrade, giving it a total
of 10 MB Ram. The Lexmark is connected to the parallel port of the file
server.
If you wish to have a sample print of one of our images,
please send your postal address.
Finally, I want to thank Don Grimes of Microscopy Today,
whose earlier posting on the Microscopy listserver about this printer stimulated
my interest. I understand he uses his Lexmark for much of the prepress
work needed for producing Microscopy Today.
Don Chernoff
Yes. None of ASM's software uses dates for any calculation. However, for added security, ASM's software has been tested in a Year 2000 environment and assured to work just as it does pre-2000.
updated 04/09/2007