Other Panel

Selects the type of microscopy to be employed. Switching this parameter enables/disables other parameters. Also, on MultiMode SPMs, any change to the Microscope Mode must be accompanied by use of the mode selector switch on the microscope’s base.

Range or Settings:

• ScanAsyst, Contact, Tapping, STM or Piezo Response.

Selects whether the units of certain scan parameters are in Volts or in units of Metric distance (nm, etc.). Parameters affected include Scan Size, X Offset, Lift Start Height and Lift Scan Height, Y Offset, Data Scale, Z Limit, Z Scan Start, Ramp Size, Column Step and Row Step.

Range or Settings:

• Volts—Parameters are in Volts.
• Metric—Parameters are in units of distance (nm, µm, etc.)

Allows the user to correct for loss of tracking on engage due to sample differences. The automatic Engage procedure establishes the Setpoint voltage at the smallest possible value that detects the sample surface, resulting in a value that protects both the sample surface and the cantilever tip. However, this value may not be sufficient for optimal surface tracking on all samples. The setpoint voltage determined by the automatic Engage procedure will be multiplied by the Engage Setpoint value, increasing or decreasing tapping force.

Range or Settings:

• 0.5 through 2.0.

A value of 1.0 results in no change to the tapping force. Values less than 1.0 increase the tapping force and values greater than 1.0 decrease the tapping force. A value of 0.9 is nominal for most samples.

Example of Engage Setpoint

The Engage Setpoint for a particular sample may be empirically determined. Procedures are as follows:

1. Set the Engage Setpoint to 1.0 and engage on the sample.
2. After engagement, make note of the Setpoint parameter.
3. While watching the scan, adjust the Setpoint value until the tip tracks the surface correctly. Calculate the following:

When the Bidirectional Scan parameter is Enabled, data from both Trace and Retrace scans are used to capture frames in half the normal time. Images have alternately shifted lines, which cause features to lose some of their lateral definition; however, data may be used for metrological analysis. Use to save time while capturing images.

Range or Settings:

Enabled or Disabled

When Enabled, features shown in images lose some lateral definition, making point-to-point measurements inadvisable. Vertical data, however, is unaffected. Use the Scan Line Shift parameter to readjust images with the Bidirectional Scan parameter Enabled. This will shift scan lines relative to one another to restore some lateral definition in features.

Use the Scan Line Shift parameter to shift trace and retrace lines relative to one another by up to 5 pixels in either direction. Units are in pixels and range from –5 to +5. Scan Line Shift is used for readjusting images captured when the Bidirectional Scan parameter is Enabled.

Range or Settings:

• –5 to +5

This parameter is generally only for images that have been captured with the Bidirectional Scan parameter set to Enabled.

Frequency of (Z-position, deflection) data point acquisition.

Range: 0.01 Hz to 1 kHz

Typical value: 100 Hz