Standard Imaging Mode
Park Systems offers some of the most innovative standard imaging modes in the AFM industry. Park AFM's True Non-Contact™ mode is the world's only truly non-contact AFM scanning mode while our standard scanning mode is among the most accurate available on the market.
True Non-Contact Mode
Park AFM features the only true non-contact standard imaging mode. This mode preserves tip sharpness and sample integrity for better and more accurate scans with less minimal maintenance required.
When True Non-Contact™ mode is activated, a piezoelectric modulator vibrates a cantilever at a small amplitude and fixed frequency near the intrinsic resonance of the cantilever. As the tip approaches the sample, the van der Waals attractive force between the tip and sample influences the amplitude and phase of the cantilever's vibration. These amplitude and phase changes are monitored by the patented Z-servo feedback system of the Park AFM series, which also maintains a few nanometers tip-surface distance without damaging the sample surface or tip.
Specifications :
Tip-sample distance : 3 nm (typical)Cantilever oscillation frequency : 1 - 600 kHz
Cantilever oscillation amplitude : 1 - 2 nm (typical)
Phase Imaging
Phase Imaging with Park AFM provides an accurate measurement of mechanical properties, especially for highly sensitive samples whose topography is best measured using True Non-Contact™ mode. Phase data that contains the mechanical property of the sample is acquired by monitoring the phase lag between the signal that drives the cantilever oscillation and the cantilever oscillation output signal.
Specifications :
Phase resolution :0.005°Lateral Force Microscopy (LFM)
Lateral Force Microscopy with Park AFM provides information on both surface friction and topography by measuring the cantilever deflection in both horizontal and vertical directions. The data acquired in LFM with Park AFM is very useful for studying a sample whose surface consists of inhomogeneous compounds.
Contact Mode
The standard mode of Park AFM is Contact Mode in which the cantilever comes in contact with the surface and the cantilever deflection is measured to produce highly accurate topographic data.