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Dimension Icon STM tip keeps crashing

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Answered (Verified) This post has 1 verified answer | 5 Replies | 2 Followers

Top 150 Contributor
6 Posts
Points 65
mops posted on Tue, Nov 1 2011 6:14 AM

Dear all,

I tried to do STM on HOPG with our new Dimension Icon AFM with scanasyst but the tip keeps crashing all the time during engagement.  I tried the scan parameters set in the manual but the tip still crashes.  The bias voltage was increased  from 100mV to 500mV,  the gains increased to ( integral : 1, proportional :2)  and the current set point decreased from 5.0 nA to 100 pA but the tip keeps crashing.  The sample conducts well, it was checked with a multimeter.

Can anyone help?

 

  • | Post Points: 14

Answered (Verified) Verified Answer

Top 150 Contributor
6 Posts
Points 65
Reply
Answered (Verified) mops replied on Fri, Nov 4 2011 9:15 AM

Thank you Li,

I identified the problem. It was SPM feedback. It should be set to linear not log. Now it works perfect.

Best regards

Mops

  • | Post Points: 11

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Answered (Not Verified) replied on Wed, Nov 2 2011 11:37 AM

Hi Mops,

Please contact Bruker AFM tech support. They will work with you to solve the issue.

Best, Stefan

  • | Post Points: 12
Top 150 Contributor
6 Posts
Points 65
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mops replied on Wed, Nov 2 2011 11:45 AM

Thank you Stefan

  • | Post Points: 10
Top 25 Contributor
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Points 831
Bruker Employee
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Chunzeng Li replied on Wed, Nov 2 2011 4:19 PM

Can you please check:

  1. use a volt-meter to check whether bias is present on the sample, with 1 probe on the sample, one probe on the piezo gaurd  of the AFM head. It should read the same as bias set in the software.
  2. make sure STM tip is more than 1mm away from the surface.

If the above does not solve the problem, please take a screenshot of the error message and send over.

Chunzeng Li
Applicaiton scientist
Bruker
Chunzeng.li@bruker-nano.com

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  • | Post Points: 13
Top 150 Contributor
6 Posts
Points 65
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mops replied on Fri, Nov 4 2011 2:20 AM

Dear Li,

I checked the bias between the sample and the piezo guard, they are the same as the one set in the software, whenever the software bias is changed the other changes accordingly.

I made sure the tip is more than 1mm above the sample, it took long to approach but it crashed.

There is no error message on the screen during engage, it is the usual engage message that shows the tip: "pre-engage" then  " approaching surface" .  I can only see by the sample moving that the tip has crashed and of course the would be a mark showing that on clean HOPG.

I changed the bias to 1000mV , increased the gains ( integral: 1 proportional : 500) and reduced the current setpoint to 100pA but the tip crashed.

Thank you

Mops

 

  • | Post Points: 10
Top 150 Contributor
6 Posts
Points 65
Reply
Answered (Verified) mops replied on Fri, Nov 4 2011 9:15 AM

Thank you Li,

I identified the problem. It was SPM feedback. It should be set to linear not log. Now it works perfect.

Best regards

Mops

  • | Post Points: 11
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