AVS 50th International Symposium
    Surface Science Tuesday Sessions
       Session SS-TuP

Paper SS-TuP1
Ultrastable Besocke Type Scanners

Tuesday, November 4, 2003, 5:30 pm, Room Hall A-C

Session: Poster Session
Presenter: N. Pertaya, Freie Universit@um a@t Berlin, Germany
Authors: N. Pertaya, Freie Universit@um a@t Berlin, Germany
K.-F. Braun, Freie Universit@um a@t Berlin, Germany
K.H. Rieder, Freie Universit@um a@t Berlin, Germany
Correspondent: Click to Email
A widespread used construction for the coarse approach mechanism in scanning probe microscopy is the Besocke beetle type. Using stick-slip motion the scanner can thereby be positioned on the nm scale covering usually a range of several mm horizontally and vertically. This apparent advantage of a high flexibility is bought on the expense of a reduced mechanical stability. Mechanical resonances around one kHz are attributed to so-called rattling modes (dependent on the contact forces between moving and fixed parts), other modes result from the scanner itself, and limit the performance of the microscope.@footnote 1@ Here we present a detailed analysis of the vibrational response of a beetle type scanner and based on this a very stable optimized scanner setup. Three scanners were assembled using different type of and differently dimensioned piezoceramics. Type (a) and (b) are using tube piezos of different length and thickness. Covering the same scanning area the overall size was reduced and the lowest measured mechanical resonance shifted from 300 to 900 Hz. In a recent setup (c) shear stack piezoelectric elements (PI - ceramics) were used, which resulted in a shift of the lowest resonance frequency to 6 kHz. Freshly cleaved graphite surface was imaged using a mechanically cut golden tip. Typically atomic-resolved images obtained under ambient conditions show a triangular lattice or a honeycomb array respectively. @FootnoteText@@footnote 1@S. Behler, M.K. Rose, D.F. Ogletree, M. Salmeron, Rev. Sci. Instr. 68, 124 (1997).