3D representation of Si (111) atomic steps measured by AFM.
Position noise is critical to the resolution of many applications including Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Mad City Labs metrology-class picopositioners™ can be used to build high resolution AFM systems that can detect picometer-scale features. Accurate measurements of single atomic steps in Silicon (111), shown to the left, demonstrate the capabilities of an AFM built with Mad City Labs picopositioners™. The measurement of atomic steps in Silicon (111) is a direct measurement of an established calibration standard. Additional AFM performance demonstrations are available.
312 pm Si (111) atomic steps detected using a picopositioner™ with PicoQ® sensor technology, measured by AFM.
For information regarding the issues of nanopositioner resolution, see the Laser Focus World article Understanding Noise at the Nanometer Scale. The article details the causes and limitations associated with nanopositioner resolution, and the processes involved in measuring it. The causes for these limitations are a result of the components of the nanopositioner as well as the surrounding environment, so it is important to consider all of the factors involved. In addition the article clearly demonstrates the superior performance of nanopositioners using our proprietary PicoQ® sensor technology compared to nanopositioners using capacitance sensors.