Demonstration of closed loop velocity control for fast imaging techniques using high-speed AFM

To address the requirement for high-speed, high-resolution scanning and nanopositioning Queensgate Instruments have developed velocity control for their nanopositioning stages. This has been applied to an XY stage and its potential for use in a high-speed atomic force microscope has been assessed using the NPL Metrological High-Speed AFM platform. The work investigated the application of velocity control on image acquisition time and image resolution. Images covering scan areas and speeds in the range of of 95 μm x 95 μm (speed,500 µm/s) to 60 µm x 60 µm (speed 4 mm/sec) were acquired and showed good linearity over the scanning area and a lateral resolution of 2 nm or better. Measurements of calibration gratings are commensurate with those obtained from conventional AFMs at slower scanning speeds.