title: Microcantilever based distance control between a probe and a surface.
abstract: We demonstrate a method to control the distance between a custom probe and a sample on a μm to nm scale. The method relies on the closed-loop feedback on the angular deflection of an in-contact AFM microcantilever. High performance in stability and accuracy is achieved in this method by taking advantage of the small mechanical feedback path between surface and probe. We describe how internal error sources that find their origin in the microcantilever and feedback can be minimized to achieve an accurate and precise control up to 3 nm. In particular, we investigated how hysteresis effects in the feedback caused by friction forces between tip and substrate can be minimized. By applying a short calibration procedure, distance control from contact to several micrometers probe-sample distance can be obtained with an absolute nanometer-scale accuracy. The method presented is compatible with any probe that can be fixed on a microcantilever chip and can be easily built into existing AFM systems.
authors.affiliation: Nanobiophysics Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology and MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Molenaar
authors.affiliation: Nanobiophysics Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology and MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Prangsma
authors.affiliation: Nanobiophysics Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology and MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: K O
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: van der Werf
authors.affiliation: Nanobiophysics Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology and MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bennink
authors.affiliation: Nanobiophysics Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology and MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blum
authors.affiliation: Nanobiophysics Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology and MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Subramaniam
mesh_terms: D002138:Calibration; D005246:Feedback; D017276:Friction; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000295:instrumentation; D013696:Temperature