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Ultra-Large Scale Stitchless AFM: Advancing Nanoscale Characterization and Manipulation with Zero Stitching Error and
Yijie Liu1,2, Xuexuan Li1,2, Yuliang Zhang3
1State Key Laboratory of Tribology in Advanced Equipment, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|August 24, 2023
Summary
This study introduces an ultra-large scale stitchless atomic force microscopy (AFM) system, expanding its scanning range by 100 times. This novel approach enables high-throughput nanoscale characterization of millimeter-scale samples without stitching errors.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Surface Science
- Materials Science
Background:
- Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) offers nanoscale resolution but is limited by a small scanning range (approx. 100 µm).
- Characterizing cross-scale samples requires overcoming the limitations of conventional AFM scanning areas.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel ultra-large scale stitchless AFM (ULSS-AFM) to overcome the scanning range limitations of conventional AFMs.
- To enable high-throughput nanoscale characterization of millimeter-scale samples.
Main Methods:
- Synergistic integration of an ultra-large scale stitchless AFM (ULSS-AFM) with a compliant nano-manipulator (CNM).
- The CNM provides precise planar motion for the sample over a millimeter range, while the ULSS-AFM probe interacts with the sample.
Main Results:
- The ULSS-AFM effectively characterized samples across various scanning ranges, modes, resolutions, and frequencies.
- The scanning area was expanded by two orders of magnitude compared to conventional AFMs.
- Achieved high-throughput characterization of ultra-large scale samples without stitching or bow errors.
Conclusions:
- The proposed ULSS-AFM significantly expands the capabilities of AFM for cross-scale scientific research.
- This advancement facilitates industrial applications in nano- and microscale characterization.
