Actuated Probe Engage Panel

Figure 1: The Engage Parameters window showing the Actuated Probe Engage panel.

The Actuated Probe Engage panel serves the same purpose in the dual control loop Actuated Probe Mode as the Tapping Engage panel does for traditional control loop TappingMode in earlier NanoScope software. That is, each contain parameters that control the tip/sample engage process.

NOTE: Default settings of the engage parameters are usually suitable for satisfactory engagement on most samples. These settings appear when either engage panel opens. Typically, it is only if engagement fails that engage parameters are adjusted.

To open the Actuated Probe Engage panel (see Figure 1), select Microscope > Engage Settings > Actuated Probe Engage.

Parameters in the Actuated Probe Engage Panel

parameter	Description
TM engage gain	The normal (scanner) piezoelectric actuator integral gain value used during Actuated Probe (and TappingMode) engage. Once the surface is engaged, the value reverts to that of Feedback> TM engage gain. Range and Settings: 0.01–10.0 Typical values: 0.2–3.0 Hints for Optimizing TM Engage Gain As TM engage gain is increased, the tip’s vertical downward velocity increases. TM engage gain is used to speed the engagement process; however, if set too high, the tip and/or sample may be damaged. During engagement, gain values (Integral and Proportional) displayed on the Feedback panel are not used. Instead, TM engage gain is used for engage; the integral gain and proportional gain parameters are not involved in engage. With normal (non-fluid) samples, higher values of TM engage gain accelerate engagement speed at the cost of endangering tips and samples. A higher gain is recommended for TappingMode scanning of hard samples in fluid; increase gain cautiously.
Tapping Engage Fast I Gain	The fast (cantilever) piezoelectric actuator integral gain value used during Actuated Probe engage in TappingMode. Once the surface is engaged, the value reverts to that of Feedback> Fast Integral gain. Range and Settings: 0–128 Typical values: 10–20
Tapping Engage Fast P Gain	The fast (cantilever) piezoelectric actuator proportional gain value used during Actuated Probe engage in TappingMode. Once the surface is engaged, the value reverts to that of Feedback> Fast Proportional gain. Range and Settings: 0–128 Typical values: 10–20
Contact Engage Fast I Gain	The fast (cantilever) piezoelectric actuator integral gain value used during Actuated Probe engage in Contact Mode. Once the surface is engaged, the value reverts to that of Feedback> Fast Integral gain. Range and Settings: 0–128 Typical values: 5–10
Contact Engage Fast P Gain	The fast (cantilever) piezoelectric actuator proportional gain value used during Actuated Probe engage in Contact Mode. Once the surface is engaged, the value reverts to that of Feedback> Fast Proportional gain. Range and Settings: 0–128 Typical values: 5–10
	CAUTION: If the probe is allowed to engage by actuation of the (fast) cantilever piezo alone, with the scanner tube gains set to zero, the probe tip may be driven into the sample when the scanner tube gains are raised to nonzero values. The Minimum Scanning Gain parameters protect against this.
Tapping Minimum Scanning I Gain	The minimum integral gain value the normal Z-actuator may have during TappingMode engage. This value overrides any lower setting of Feedback > Integral gain, including remaining in effect after engage. Range and Settings: 0–1024 Typical values: 0.1–0.5
Tapping Minimum Scanning P Gain	The minimum proportional gain value the normal Z-actuator may have during TappingMode engage. This value overrides any lower setting of Feedback > Proportional gain, including remaining in effect after engage. Range and Settings: 0–1024 Typical values: 0.1–0.5
Contact Minimum Scanning I Gain	The minimum integral gain value the normal Z-actuator may have during Contact Mode engage. This value overrides any lower setting of Feedback > Integral gain, including remaining in effect after engage. Range and Settings: 0–1024 Typical values: 0.1–0.5
Contact Minimum Scanning P Gain	The minimum proportional gain value the normal Z-actuator may have during Contact Mode engage. This value overrides any lower setting of Feedback > Proportional gain, including remaining in effect after engage. Range and Settings: 0–1024 Typical values: 0.1–0.5
Tapping Maximum Scan Rate	The maximum scan rate value allowed before TappingMode engage completes. This value overrides any higher setting of Scan Controls/Scan Rate made before engage completes. If an override occurs, the maximum remains in effect after engage until changed in Scan Controls/Scan Rate. Range and Settings: 0–10,000 Hz. Typical values: 2.00–4.00 Hz.
Contact Maximum Scan Rate	The maximum scan rate value allowed before Contact Mode engage completes. This value overrides any higher setting of Scan > Scan Rate made before engage completes. If an override occurs, the maximum remains in effect after engage until changed in Scan> Scan Rate. Range and Settings: 0–10,000 Hz Typical values: 3.00–5.00 Hz
Determine Contact Gain	Set to Enabled to obtain accurate height data with both slow and fast control loops active. After Determine Contact Gain has been Enabled, prior to engage, the cantilever piezoelectric actuator is ramped over ±10V drive amplitude while monitoring deflection. This contact gain calibration records the resultant deflection per applied drive signal for future use. Range and Settings: Enabled or Disabled Typical value: Enabled
Check for active tip	Automatically verifies a functioning Active Tip probe before each engage operation. Range and Settings: Enabled or Disabled Typical value: Enabled

parameter

Description

TM engage gain

The normal (scanner) piezoelectric actuator integral gain value used during Actuated Probe (and TappingMode) engage. Once the surface is engaged, the value reverts to that of Feedback> TM engage gain.

Range and Settings:

0.01–10.0
Typical values: 0.2–3.0

Hints for Optimizing TM Engage Gain

As TM engage gain is increased, the tip’s vertical downward velocity increases. TM engage gain is used to speed the engagement process; however, if set too high, the tip and/or sample may be damaged.
During engagement, gain values (Integral and Proportional) displayed on the Feedback panel are not used. Instead, TM engage gain is used for engage; the integral gain and proportional gain parameters are not involved in engage.
With normal (non-fluid) samples, higher values of TM engage gain accelerate engagement speed at the cost of endangering tips and samples. A higher gain is recommended for TappingMode scanning of hard samples in fluid; increase gain cautiously.

Tapping Engage Fast I Gain

The fast (cantilever) piezoelectric actuator integral gain value used during Actuated Probe engage in TappingMode. Once the surface is engaged, the value reverts to that of Feedback> Fast Integral gain.

Range and Settings:

0–128
Typical values: 10–20

Tapping Engage Fast P Gain

The fast (cantilever) piezoelectric actuator proportional gain value used during Actuated Probe engage in TappingMode. Once the surface is engaged, the value reverts to that of Feedback> Fast Proportional gain.

Range and Settings:

0–128
Typical values: 10–20

Contact Engage Fast I Gain

The fast (cantilever) piezoelectric actuator integral gain value used during Actuated Probe engage in Contact Mode. Once the surface is engaged, the value reverts to that of Feedback> Fast Integral gain.

Range and Settings:

0–128
Typical values: 5–10

Contact Engage Fast P Gain

The fast (cantilever) piezoelectric actuator proportional gain value used during Actuated Probe engage in Contact Mode. Once the surface is engaged, the value reverts to that of Feedback> Fast Proportional gain.

Range and Settings:

0–128
Typical values: 5–10

CAUTION: If the probe is allowed to engage by actuation of the (fast) cantilever piezo alone, with the scanner tube gains set to zero, the probe tip may be driven into the sample when the scanner tube gains are raised to nonzero values. The Minimum Scanning Gain parameters protect against this.

Tapping Minimum Scanning I Gain

The minimum integral gain value the normal Z-actuator may have during TappingMode engage. This value overrides any lower setting of Feedback > Integral gain, including remaining in effect after engage.

Range and Settings:

0–1024
Typical values: 0.1–0.5

Tapping Minimum Scanning P Gain

The minimum proportional gain value the normal Z-actuator may have during TappingMode engage. This value overrides any lower setting of Feedback > Proportional gain, including remaining in effect after engage.

Range and Settings:

0–1024
Typical values: 0.1–0.5

Contact Minimum Scanning I Gain

The minimum integral gain value the normal Z-actuator may have during Contact Mode engage. This value overrides any lower setting of Feedback > Integral gain, including remaining in effect after engage.

Range and Settings:

0–1024
Typical values: 0.1–0.5

Contact Minimum Scanning P Gain

The minimum proportional gain value the normal Z-actuator may have during Contact Mode engage. This value overrides any lower setting of Feedback > Proportional gain, including remaining in effect after engage.

Range and Settings:

0–1024
Typical values: 0.1–0.5

Tapping Maximum Scan Rate

The maximum scan rate value allowed before TappingMode engage completes. This value overrides any higher setting of Scan Controls/Scan Rate made before engage completes. If an override occurs, the maximum remains in effect after engage until changed in Scan Controls/Scan Rate.

Range and Settings:

0–10,000 Hz.
Typical values: 2.00–4.00 Hz.

Contact Maximum Scan Rate

The maximum scan rate value allowed before Contact Mode engage completes. This value overrides any higher setting of Scan > Scan Rate made before engage completes. If an override occurs, the maximum remains in effect after engage until changed in Scan> Scan Rate.

Range and Settings:

0–10,000 Hz
Typical values: 3.00–5.00 Hz

Determine Contact Gain

Set to Enabled to obtain accurate height data with both slow and fast control loops active. After Determine Contact Gain has been Enabled, prior to engage, the cantilever piezoelectric actuator is ramped over ±10V drive amplitude while monitoring deflection. This contact gain calibration records the resultant deflection per applied drive signal for future use.

Range and Settings:

Enabled or Disabled
Typical value: Enabled

Check for active tip

Automatically verifies a functioning Active Tip probe before each engage operation.

Range and Settings:

Enabled or Disabled
Typical value: Enabled

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Customer Support: (800) 873-9750