title: Note: Fabrication of a fast-response and user-friendly environmental chamber for atomic force microscopes.
abstract: The atomic force microscope is one of the most widespread tools in science, but many suppliers do not provide a competitive solution to make experiments in controlled atmospheres. Here, we provide a solution to this problem by fabricating a fast-response and user-friendly environmental chamber. We corroborate the correct functioning of the chamber by studying the formation of local anodic oxidation on a silicon sample (biased under opposite polarities), an effect that can be suppressed by measuring in a dry nitrogen atmosphere. The usefulness of this chamber goes beyond the example here presented, and it could be used in many other fields of science, including physics, mechanics, microelectronics, nanotechnology, medicine, and biology.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials, Soochow University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science & Technology, 199 Ren-Ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China.
authors.forename: Yanfeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials, Soochow University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science & Technology, 199 Ren-Ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.affiliation: Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials, Soochow University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science & Technology, 199 Ren-Ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China.
authors.forename: Yuanyuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials, Soochow University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science & Technology, 199 Ren-Ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China.
authors.forename: Tingting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials, Soochow University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science & Technology, 199 Ren-Ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoxue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials, Soochow University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science & Technology, 199 Ren-Ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China.
authors.forename: Chengbin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials, Soochow University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science & Technology, 199 Ren-Ai Road, Suzhou 215123, China.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lanza
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D005740:Gases; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009584:Nitrogen; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D012825:Silicon
chemical_list: D005740:Gases; D009584:Nitrogen; D012825:Silicon