© ICSPI Corp. 2007-2021
nGauge AFM User Manual 2.0
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5.6.2.
Scanning
The tip moves from the top left corner to the top right corner in the X axis (also called the fast-
scan axis), and then it moves back to the top left corner, before moving to the next row (along
the Y direction or slow-scan axis). The pattern is called a raster scan.
The image produced in the scan area is lightly processed (averaged) to help with visualization.
The raw data is available in the saved gsf or tsv file.
You can select the
Level Image
button, which simply performs some minor corrections to the
displayed image (line leveling, plane leveling) and may make the image easier to visualize.
Selecting or de-selecting the
Level Image
checkbox does not affect the raw data that is saved
in gsf or tsv format.
Note: The Level Image checkbox is not to be confused with the
Leveling
setting available in the
Advanced Controls. More information on the
Leveling
control
is available in Section 5.7.2.1
5.6.3.
Image Types
Three scans are collected simultaneously: topography (offset), phase and error. In addition,
both the forward and reverse scans are collected for each type.
5.6.3.1.
Topography scan
The topography scan displays data in nanometer (nm) or micrometer (µm), directly from the
oscillation amplitude (V). The topography data is provided in nm or µm as courtesy values to the
IMPORTANT
When you are finished scanning your sample or if you pressed pause and no longer
need to scan, go to the
Approach
tab and click
Disengage
to safely disengage the tip
from the sample.
After the disengage routine is completed (a few seconds),
click
and
hold
on the
Retract
button to rapidly move the sample platform downwards to the point where there is
sufficient separation between the sample and the tip to safely remove the sample.
A minimum separation of 5 mm is recommended between the tip and the sample, which
takes about 10 seconds when holding on
Retract
.
Always
disengage
and
retract
when finished with the AFM to avoid damage to the AFM
tip. Accidentally bumping the AFM unit when the tip is engaged can cause the tip to
crash into the sample and break.
Caution:
the tip is extremely fragile so please avoid crashing the tip into the sample
while removing the sample.
