To support and enable various SPM modes, Park
Systems provides additional accessories to enhance
the experiment conditions. They includes voltage
kit, vacuum sample chuck, non-magnetic sample holder,
and various types of chip carriers and so on.
Active Q Control
During AFM imaging in Non-contact and tapping imaging, especially in liquid, the kinetic energy of the cantilever is decreased due to the interaction between the cantilever and the sample. By actively compensating the energy loss, Q control enhances the quality of topographic data. Active Q control circuit also provides arbitrary phase shift of the cantilever oscillation, by which the quality factor is increased or decreased.
• Enables access to various input/output signals for AFM
• Scanner driving signal for the XY and Z scanners
• Position signal for the XY and Z scanners
• Cantilever deflection signals of the vertical/lateral direction
• Bias signal for the sample and the cantilever
• Driving signal for XE-AFM
• Auxiliary input signal to the system
For the product datasheet of Signal Access Module, please click here.
External High Voltage Kit
The external high voltage kit provides an applied external bias option up to 2 kV.
• Bias range: up to 2 kV
• Works with Conductive AFM, EFM/SKPM/DC-EFM/PFM, and Nanolithography
Magnetic Field Generator
The magnetic field generator is used for applying external magnetic field to the sample. The field can be changed from -300 gauss to 300 gauss, and is parallel to the sample surface. The change in magnetic structure by the varying field can be observed by magnetic force microscopy (MFM).
• Applying external magnetic field parallel to sample surface
• Tunable magnetic field
• Range: -300 - 300 gauss
• Composed of pure iron core & two solenoid cells
Chip Carriers
• Standard chip carrier
• Ceramic chip carrier for SThM
• Teflon coated chip carrier for EC-Cell
• Ceramic chip carrier for SCM
• Teflon coated chip carrier for Conductive AFM
Vacuum Chuck
For secure loading of samples, Park Systems provides a vacuum chuck. The chuck can manage 2 inch, 4 inch, and/or 6 inch wafers, and can be offered as a customized version.
Non-magnetic Sample Holder
The magnetic field from the standard sample holder may cause unintended results in delicate MFM measurement. To avoid this, non-magnetic sample holder is provided.
Since AFM is an instrument measuring material
properties in the nanometer scale, it is indispensible
to isolate the instrument from ambient light and
acoustic noise. The acoustic enclosures designed
by Park Systems provide environmentally sealed measurement
conditions for optimal AFM operation.
NX Standard Acoustic Enclosure
The NX Standard Acoustic Enclosure (AE) isolates the Park NX10 or Park NX20 system from external acoustic and light noise for ultimate performance, and provides superior vibration with integrated active vibration isolation system.
▪ Includes an active vibration isolation system for superior vibration isolation
▪ Ergonomic design for convenient access to the instrument
▪ Dimensions: 700 × 900 × 1,300 mm for NX10 and 800 × 1,150 × 1,330 mm for NX20
▪ Weight: 407kg for NX20 Standard AE and 300kg for NX10 Standard AE
Active Temperature Control for NX Standard Acoustic Enclosure
Designed exclusively for the NX Standard Acoustic Enclosure, the option maintains a thermally stable environment by active temperature control.
- Innovative control design brings the enclosure quickly to its temperature equilibrium
- Temperature stability of less than 0.05oC within10 minutes of closing AE door
Tabletop Acoustic Enclosure
▪ Environmentally sealed acoustic enclosure to block external acoustic and light noise
▪ Ergonomic design for user convenience
▪ Dimension: 510 × 700 × 650 mm (outer)
▪ Weight: 40 kg
Enhanced Acoustic Enclosure
Designed exclusively for the XE series system, the Enhanced Acoustic Enclosure with Granite Table isolates the XE system from external acoustic and light noise for ultimate performance, and provides increased vibration isolation when used with Active Vibration Isolation Table.
▪ Includes a granite table for increased vibration isolation
▪ Best solution for sub-nanometer scale high resolution imaging
▪ Ergonomic design for a convenient access to the instrument
▪ Dimension: 820 × 920 × 1,345 mm (outer)
For XE 70/100/150 only
Acoustic Enclosure for Raman-AFM Integration
Environmentally sealed acoustic enclosure blocks external acoustic and light noise. Ergonomically designed for user convenience, the acoustic enclosure for Raman-AFM integration provides a beam path to an external spectrometer
▪ Dimension: 825 × 1000 × 730 mm (outer)
▪ Weight: 74.2 kg
For XE-70/100/150 only
Acoustic Enclosure with Enhanced MOD and Side Opening Door
In this acoustic enclosure with steel frame and side opening door, enhanced MOD layers support both AFM and granite, giving the ultimate noise performance below 0.05 nm in the factory.
▪ Velocity Feedback: Electromagnetic transducers
▪ Frequency range: active 1 ~ 200 Hz, passive > 200 Hz
▪ System noise: less than 50 ng per root Hz from 0.1 to 200 Hz in all direction
For XE-150 only
Integrated Acoustic Enclosure for XE-Bio and XE-120
Designed exclusively for the XE-Bio and the XE-120, the Integrated Acoustic Enclosure for XE-Bio and XE-120 isolates the systems from external acoustic and light noise for ultimate performance, and provides higher degree of vibration isolation when used with Active Vibration Isolation Table.
▪ Includes a granite table
▪ Best solution for high resolution in-liquid imaging
▪ Ergonomic design for a convenient access to the instrument
▪ Dimension: 1,000 × 1,000 × 1,400 mm (outer)
▪ Weight: 646 kg
In order to insulate highly reactive materials or to keep cells alive for prolonged duration, it is necessary to keep the samples in controlled atmosphere of oxygen content, humidity, CO2 concentration, pH, and temperature. Park Systems provides two options of environmental control: a glove box and live cell chamber.
Environmental Chamber
Environmental chamber provides controlled atmosphere for the samples sensitive to oxygen and/or water vapor. The atmosphere of the chamber is controlled by the organized functions of the humidifier, the dehumidifier combined with purging nitrogen gas into it.
• Humidity control range: 2 % to 90 %
• Gas inlet/outlet: 4 ports
• Antechamber
Humidity Control System
• Humidity control range: from 2 to 90%
Live Cell Chamber
The live cell chamber creates an ideal environment for cells, improving the life expectance during long measurement durations. The chamber controls temperature, humidity, and pH.
• Temperature control: RT - 60 °C (0.1 °C stability)
• Incorporated with gas mixer and humidity controller
Most of the interesting phenomena of polymers
and biological samples are observed by changing
the sample temperature. Park Systems provides various
temperature control options.
Temperature Control Stage 1
Many polymers and ceramics show phase changes as the temperature goes through the critical temperature. The phenomena can be observed by using AFM with a heating/cooling stage option, which controls the temperature from 0 °C to 180 °C with 0.1 °C resolution.
• Active Heating / Active Cooling
• Temperature range: 0 °C - 180 °C
• Temperature resolution: 0.1
• Coolant circulation: Vibration-free water circulation
• Sample size: 15 mm × 15 mm / 15 mm in thickness
Temperature Control Stage 2
Heating stage provides higher temperature range up to 250 °C.
• Active Heating / Passive Cooling
• Temperature range: ambient - 250 °C
• Temperature resolution: 0.1 °C
• Sample size: 15 mm × 15 mm / 15 mm in thickness
Temperature Control Stage 3
Heating stage provides higher temperature range up to 600 °C
• Active Heating / Passive Cooling
• Temperature range: ambient - 600 °C
• Temperature resolution: 0.1 °C
• Sample size: 8 mm × 8 mm / 3 mm in thickness
Most biological samples are measured immersed
in liquid while controlling the temperature, concentration
of the buffer solution, and/or voltage applied to
the solution. Park Systems provides various liquid
cell options.
Universal Liquid Cell
The universal liquid cell was developed to meet diverse environmental control options with a single unit. The cell can be used as an open liquid cell as well as a closed liquid cell, while controlling the temperature. The cell includes three
outlets to perfuse liquid or gas to/from the cell, and two electrodes utilized as the reference and the counter electrode in electrochemistry.
Applicable configurations: open liquid cell, closed liquid cell, open liquid cell with heating/cooling, closed liquid cell with heating/cooling, electrochemistry cell, electrochemistry cell with heating/cooling
• Open or closed cell with liquid/gas perfusion
• Temperature control stage: 4 °C - 110 °C (in air), 4 °C - 70 °C (with liquid)
• Chemically resistive to acid/base
• Sample size: 20 mm in diameter / 5 mm in thickness
• Electrochemistry upgrade
• Applicable sample bias voltage: -10V - 10V
Electrochemistry Cell
• Material: PCTFE, resistant against corrosive solutions
• Number of electrodes: 4 electrodes
• Applicable bias voltage: -10 V - 10 V
• Capacity of liquid: 5 cm3
• Sample size: 10 mm or 45 mm in diameter / 2 mm thickness
Open Liquid Cell
Open liquid cell is a cell which is used to accomodate liquid environment. The cell is resistant against corrosive solutions, and has clips to hold samples.
• Material: PCTFE, resistant against corrosive solution
• Capacity of liquid: 2.3 cm3
• Sample size: 14 mm in diameter, or 20 mm × 35 mm / 4.5 mm thickness
Probehands, one of the core parts of the XE head,
are connected to the Z-scanner and transfers the
movement of the scanner to the cantilever which
is attached to the end of the probehand. Depending
on the measurement setup, the probehand is chosen.
Standard Probehand
The standard probehand is designed to be used in general operation. It features fast and easy cantilever loading of pre-mounted cantilevers and the cantilever bias function without wiring. The guided mounting of pre-mounted cantilevers also enables users to align the laser easily on the cantilever. The probehand supports all the standard and advanced modes except STM, SCM, and liquid imaging.
• Cantilever mounting: Guided kinematic mounting
• Cantilever bias range: -10 V - 10 V
Clip Type Probehand
Unmounted cantilevers can be used with the clip-type probehand. The probehand also has cantilever bias function without wiring, and supports all the standard and advanced modes except STM, SCM, and liquid imaging.
• Unmounted cantilever can be used
• Tip bias range: -10 V - 10 V
• Tip bias function available for EFM and Conductive AFM
• Supports all the standard and advanced modes except STM, SCM and in-liquid imaging
Liquid Probehand
The Liquid Probehand is designed for general liquid imaging in the contact mode as well as in the noncontact mode, and can form a closed liquid cell environment when used with the Universal liquid cell. Resistant to most of buffer solutions including acids, it is ideal for biological research.
• Contact and Non-contact AFM imaging in liquid environment
• Allows closed-cell environment when used with Universal Liquid Cell
• Compatible with Standard chip carrier and Standard clip-type chip carrier
• Chemically resistive to acid/base conditions
• Compatible to biological samples
SCM Probehand
Scanning capacitance microscopy measures the doping concentration of semiconductors by means of the change in the capacitive coupling between the cantilever and the sample. SCM probehand is made with dielectrics to minimize parasitic capacitive coupling.
• Cantilever mounting: electrically conductive cantilevers on insulating ceramic carrier
• Cantilever bias range: -10 V - 10 V
• Designed to transfer RF signal to the cantilevers
• Designed to minimize parasitic capacitance coupling
STM Probehand
A sharpened metal (Pt-Ir) tip instead of a cantilever is used for scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). The STM probehand is developed to hold the STM tip, and is shielded with ceramics to suppress possible electrical noise..
• Tip mounting: Snapping of Pt-Ir wire
• Tip bias range: -10 V - 10 V
• Designed to minimize current noise
LD/SLD
The XE heads use two types of laser beams to detect
the cantilever deflection, either LD (Laser Diode)
or SLD (Super Luminescence Diode). LD is used for
most of AFM measurements, whose wavelength lies
in visible ray range (650 nm). On the other hand,
SLD has low coherent beam, so that it can prevent
possible optical interference noise. The wavelength
of SLD lies in infrared region (835 nm), which can
also be used to avoid the visual ray region of other
optical instruments.
Z-Scan Range
The design of the XE head, the separated Z-scanner
from its XY-scanner, enables customers to select
Z scan range independently from the XY scan range.
A 12 μm Z-scanner is provided for general AFM measurements,
and a 25 μm Z-scanner for scanning macroscopic structures.
Standard NX AFM Head
The standard NX AFM head is a high speed Z scanner head with 15 µm scan range. It is the standard head for all of the basic and advanced modes of the NX-series AFMs.
Specification
• Z scan range: 15 µm
• Resonant frequency of Z-scanner: > 9.5 kHz
• Laser type: Super-Luminescence Diode (830 nm)
• Noise floor: < 0.05 nm (typically 0.02 nm)
Long Travel NX AFM Head
The long travel NX AFM head is a Z scanner head with 30 µm scan range. It is the optional head for the extended Z scan range of the NX-series AFMs.
Specification
• Z scan range: 30 µm
• Resonant frequency of Z-scanner: > 2.0 kHz
• Laser type: Super-Luminescence Diode (830 nm)
• Noise floor: < 0.05 nm (typically 0.02 nm)
*Incompatible with Conductive AFM, SCM, and SThM mode.
Standard XE Head
The standard XE head is the basic head developed for all of the standard and the advanced modes for XE-series AFMs.
Specification
• Z scan range: 12 µm
• Resonant frequency of Z-scanner: 3 kHz
• Laser type: LD (650 nm) or SLD (830 nm), standard
• Noise floor: 0.02 nm (typical), 0.05 nm (maximum)
25um XE Head
Extended scanning range of the 25 µm Z-scanner enables the measurement of high aspect ratio samples such as optical lenses and MEMS device. The head is fully compatible with all the existing modes and options.
The cantilever of the AFM can be used as a medium of light amplification when it is combined with Raman spectroscopy, which enhances the optical response of the sample. In order to deliver maximized optical beam to and from the cantilever, the XE Optical Head provides wide optical accessibility from top, bottom, and side. It is also compatible with all the options of XE-series AFM.
Specification
• Optical accessibility: top and side
• Z scan range: 12 µm or 25 µm
• Resonant frequency: 3 kHz (12 µm XE Head), 1.7 kHz (25 µm XE Head)
• Laser type: LD (650 nm) or SLD (830 nm)
• Noise floor: 0.03 nm (typical), 0.05 nm (maximum)
Hysitron Triboscope Adaptor Head
The adaptor head is designed to integrate Triboscope nanoindenter of Hysitron, Inc. with XE-series AFMs. The high feedback performance of the Z-scanner enables precise nanoindentation measurement.
Specification
• Adaptor to combine with Triboscope nanoindenter of Hysitron, Inc. with the XE-Series
• Z scan range: 12 µm or 25 µm
• Resonant frequency: 3 kHz (12 µm XE Head), 1.7 kHz (25 µm XE Head)
• Vertical drift rate: < 1 nm/min
Scan Linearity
Scanners using piezoelectric materials show many
nonlinear behaviors such as creep, hysteresis, temperature
dependency as well as ageing phenomena. Therefore,
the movement of the XY-scanners in XE systems is
controlled by a closed-loop circuit, which detects
the real position of the scanner and corrects the
nonlinear behavior. Integral nonlinearity of the
XY-scanners is less than 0.5 %
Out-of-Plane Motion
In conventional piezoelectric tube based scanners,
the lateral movement of the scanner is coupled with
the vertical movement of the scanner. In the early
stage of AFM, the scanning range was quite small
and could be corrected by logical algorithm. As
scan ranges grew larger, the piezoelectric tube
based scanners introduced intrinsic background curvature
to the AFM data. To overcome this principal limitation,
Park Systems introduced separated XY and Z-scanner
structure, which has no background curvature. Furthermore,
the high quality control of Park Systems enables
the practical out-of-plane motion of the XY-scanners
less than 2 nm over 100μm movement. Resonant
Frequency The response of the scanner
to the driving signal depends on its resonant frequency.
The XY-scanner has independent driving axes for
each direction which has superior responsiveness
than the piezoelectric tube scanner.
5 μm x 5 μm XY Scanner
For high resolution AFM/STM imaging, Park Systems offers the 5 µm XY-scanner. This XY-scanner is only applicable to XE-70 and XE-100.
The 50 µm XY-scanner is the standard scanner for XE-70 and XE-100. High precision scanning of the 50 µm XY-scanner provides stable imaging condition with no background curvature.
The 100 µm XY-scanner is developed to provide larger, yet precise, measurable area, which is indispensable for semiconductor and materials research. High precision, linearity, and orthogonal scanning performance of the scanner satisfies even the highest standard of industrial metrology.
The 100 μm XY-scanner allows wide scan range for materials and semiconductor research. Despite the large range, the scanner shows very low out-of-plane motion as well as high precision movement, linearity, and orthogonality.
The 100 um XY-scanner of the XE-Bio provides wide observable range for biological samples. Based on the flexure scanner of the XE Technology, its design allows user convenient optical access to an inverted optical microscope for transparent samples.
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