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Calibrate the Deflection Sensitivity

Because Peak Force QNM mode ramps the Z piezo and acquires force curves, measuring deflection sensitivity requires fewer steps than the normal ramp procedure.

  1. Click the Select Experiment icon. This opens the Select Experiment window.
 
  1. Select Mechanical Properties in the Experiment Category panel.
  2. Select Quantitive Nanomechanical Mapping in the Select Experiment Group panel.
  3. Select PeakForce QNM in Air in the Select Experiment panel and click Load Experiment.
  4. Set the Scan Size to 0 nm.
  1. Engage the probe onto a clean sapphire (required for cantilevers with k > 200 N/m) or silicon surface using the PeakForce QNM in Air mode.
  1. Activate Ramp, mode by clicking the Ramp icon in the Workflow Toolbar. This causes the system to stop scanning, and the probe to position above the center of the previous image.
 
  1. Enter the following parameter settings in the designated panels of the Ramp Parameter List:
    • In the Ramp panel select:
Parameter Setting
Ramp output Z
Ramp size 100 nm–1.00 µm
Scan Rate 1.00 Hz
Number of samples 512
 
  • In the Mode panel select:
Parameter Setting
Trigger mode Relative
Trig threshold 0.2 V
 
  • In the Channel 1 panel select:
Parameter Setting
Data Type Deflection Error
X Data Type Z
Display Mode Deflection Error vs. Z
  1. Click the Ramp Single icon on the NanoScope toolbar or select Ramp > Ramp Single, from the menu bar.
 
  1. Move two cursors onto the Deflection vs. Z plot (see Figure 1).
  2. Arrange the cursors so that they surround the contact (steepest) portion of the graph (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: Force Curve Cursors

  1. Click the Update Sensitivity icon in the NanoScope toolbar or select Ramp > Update Sensitivity. The software will automatically calculate the deflection sensitivity and open the Set Realtime Channel Sensitivities window:

 
  1. Click OK to accept this deflection sensitivity in the dialogue box that displays, and it will automatically be entered into the Deflection Sensitivity parameter.

 

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