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Table of Contents
Related Manuals for ICSPI nGauge AFM
Summary of Contents for ICSPI nGauge AFM
- Page 1 Atomic Force Microscope User Manual Version 1.1...
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Page 2: Table Of Contents
2.1 AFM Basics ............................5 2.2 sc-AFM Basics ............................5 2.3 nGauge AFM Components ........................6 2.4 nGauge AFM Capabilities and Limitations ..................6 3.0 Setup ............................... 6 3.1 Where to set it up ..........................6 3.2 How to set it up ........................... 7 3.3 Installing the Software ........................ -
Page 3: Introduction
The AFM chip can be picked up by hand by the board as long as you are careful to avoid touching the tip. The tip, located at the edge of the board, is extremely fragile. nGauge AFM User Manual... - Page 4 The AFM chip can be picked up by hand as long as you don't touch the tip. This is a zoomed-in photo of the AFM chip. The chip is extremely fragile. nGauge AFM User Manual...
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Page 5: Overview
An sc-AFM has a cantilever and a sharp tip, but instead of a laser it has an integrated piezoresistive strain sensor to measure tip displacements. The tip and sensor are attached to a MEMS scanner that can position them in X, Y, and Z with sub-nanometer resolution. nGauge AFM User Manual... -
Page 6: Ngauge Afm Components
3.0 Setup 3.1 Where to set it up The nGauge AFM is small, simple, and portable, and can be set up just about anywhere. However, for best results, it is recommended that you adhere to the following guidelines: ... -
Page 7: How To Set It Up
3.2 How to set it up Setup of the nGauge AFM is very simple. 1. Remove the components from the carrying case. Set the stage upright on a flat surface. - Page 8 3. Connect the USB cable to a computer and to the USB connector in the stage. 4. Completely unscrew and remove the thumb nut from the stage nGauge AFM User Manual...
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Page 9: Installing The Software
To install the software for windows, run the executable installer “nGauge_setup_x.x.x.x_windows.exe”. To install the software on Mac OS, simply mount the disk image “nGauge_setup_x.x.x.x_mac.dmg” and drag the nGauge application into the applications folder. nGauge AFM User Manual... -
Page 10: Basic Operation
If network connection is available, the software will automatically check for updates from the ICSPI server. This information is displayed on both the home screen and in the updates section of the menu. To manually query the ICSPI update server for new updates, click Check Updates under the updates section of the menu. -
Page 11: Preparation And Approach
1. If not, click on Show Advanced Controls and adjust the Cantilever Drive Amplitude. Continue Sweeping and adjusting the amplitude until the peak is around 3V. Click the Approach tab to proceed. nGauge AFM User Manual... -
Page 12: Imaging
The Z actuator is split into Coarse Z and Fine Z controls. The Fine Z has a smaller range, and it’s the control that is used to track sample topology while scanning. If a sample has tall features that extend nGauge AFM User Manual... - Page 13 Click Scan again after the selection has been made to scan the region of interest. To reset to the original scan area, click Reset Zoom. If Reset Zoom button is disabled, the AFM will scan the default area. nGauge AFM User Manual...
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Page 14: Analyzing Data
If there is any tilt or curvature in the image, this function will help Data Process --> Level --> remove it. You can specify the polynomial degree in the horizontal and Polynomial Background vertical directions. nGauge AFM User Manual... -
Page 15: Troubleshooting
USB device, right click on the USB device, click Update Driver Software, then Browse My Computer For Driver Software, and navigate to "C:\Program Files (x86)\ICSPI\nGauge\firmware\ISP\sam-ba_3.1.1\driver\atm6124_cdc.cat". After installing this driver, try unplugging and plugging in the USB cable, nGauge AFM User Manual... - Page 16 Fine Z control, the image will get clipped. To increase or decrease the Fine Z scan range, click on the Menu, then under PGAs, adjust the Fine Z. For maximum imaging resolution, the smallest Fine Z range should be nGauge AFM User Manual...
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Page 17: Advanced Controls
Clears all the results from the main Frequency Sweep plot. Amplitude (%) Controls the amplitude of the driving signal applied to the Z actuator. This can be thought of as the tip oscillation amplitude. Increasing this value will increase the tip oscillation amplitude. nGauge AFM User Manual... -
Page 18: Approach - Advanced Controls
Enable/Disable Turns on or off the PI controller that maintains a constant tip oscillation amplitude equal to the setpoint by controlling the Z actuator (Fine Z). nGauge AFM User Manual... -
Page 19: Menu Button - Advanced Controls
Limit Switch refers to the end-stop mechanism to prevent motor from driving the stage too low. In the unlikely circumstance that the switch is damaged and you cannot retract properly, you can uncheck the limit switch feature to nGauge AFM User Manual... - Page 20 Notice: it may require more than one run of the “Update Firmware” routine to successfully reprogram. Messages will pop up in the bottom left corner while the unit is reprogramming, attempt after the message report the end of the routine. nGauge AFM User Manual...
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