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Hi Ranna, With AFM, hardness is usually evaluated based on the residual indentation left after the indent. It is usually defined as Hardness=Maximum load/projected area of the pit left by the indent. The Maximum load is just your ramp mode trigger (assuming you are using relative triggering and you have calibrated deflection sensitivity and spring constant
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Wow, those images look as if the probe and/or sample is terribly contaminated. What kind of probe is this? Do you get this when you install a fresh, unused probe and image the sample? what if you do the same with the calibration grid? --Bede
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It would help to have an image to understand precisely what you are seeing, but it sounds as if there may be some contamination on your Ti sample. Often when a sample is immersed in water and then dried, crystals and other precipitates end up on the surface. These contaminates are usually very weakly bound to the surface and can be picked up by the
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Hi Ash, I think you must have an old version of Nanoscope Analysis. The header has a separate entry for Force setpoint that is different from the Deflection setpoint. Please check out this thread for information on how to download the latest version: http://nanoscaleworld.bruker-axs.com/nanoscaleworld/forums/t/1061.aspx --Bede
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Hi Ash, Probably the easiest way to get the setpoint information is to use the browser in the details mode. By default, the setpoint is not listed. To add it, right click on the header line of the browser (where it says Name, Modified, etc) -- you will get a list of parameters that you can show or hide. The setpoint in Peak Force Tapping is listed as
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By using a larger spot, you will have higher sensitivity. This certainly could result in less interference noise after conversion to nm. I would try the recommended spot sizes for your probes (I think it is Large in both cases that you mention). I would not recommend intentially defocusing the laser. --Bede
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Every time you put in a new probe or change the laser spot alignment or change from air to fluid, you must recalibrate the deflection sensitivity. For instructions on how to calibrate, please refer to the manual. The calibration must be done with a sample that is very stiff compared to the cantilever and it must be as clean as possible. The calibration
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Hi Ash, The laser interference is definitely influenced by the presence of a metal coating on the back of the probe and even on the thickness of that coating since we are typically working with very thin coatings. Some light may be passing through the cantilever. The probes that you mention are coated, so you are already using probes that have reduced
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That is generally due to poor deflection sensitivity calibration. If the deflection sensitivity is too large, the change in cantilever bending can be erroneously calculated to be larger than the Z piezo motion. This causes the deformation calculation to return negative numbers and will cause problems for the modulus channel as well. --Bede
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As you allude, the front panel output will not keep up with an AC signal at >50KHz due to the update rate. Also, the TM deflection is generally low pass filtered at <=40KHz (this can be disabled in software, but there is still a hardware LPF at 200KHz). If you have access to a Signal Access Module, it can provide direct access to the unfiltered