Veeco Dimension 3100, Manual

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Head, Probe, & Sample Preparation
Basic AFM Operation
110 Dimension 3100 Manual Rev. D
3. Turn the rear-right laser control knob clockwise to move the laser in the X positive direction
until the laser spot disappears from the surface below. Turn the right-rear laser control knob
counter-clockwise until the laser spot just reappears and stop turning the knob. The laser is
now positioned at the edge of the substrate (see Point 1 in
Figure 7.2h ).
Figure 7.2h Silicon Nitride Laser Alignment
4. Once the laser is positioned just off the edge of the substrate, use the front-left laser control
knob to move in the Y direction (parallel to the edge of the substrate) until the laser crosses a
maximum of four legs on the two V-shaped cantilevers (see Point 2 in
Figure 7.2h ).
Note: This occurs when moving in one direction (either up or down from end to end).
If the laser is close to the substrate, you should detect four distinct occurrences
of the laser spot disappearing and reappearing on the surface below.
5. If the laser is positioned between a pair of legs of one cantilever (laser spot on surface below)
turn the rear-right laser control knob counter-clockwise to move the laser left in the X
direction until the laser spot disappears on the surface below (see Point 3 in
Figure 7.2h ).
6. Verify the laser is located on the portion of the cantilever connecting the two lever arms near
the tip location by moving the laser on and off the cantilever, repeatedly, with an 1/8 turn of
the back-left control knob. Then, place the laser back on the cantilever.
7. Turn the rear-right laser control knob counter-clockwise to move the laser in the X negative
direction on the cantilever until the laser crosses the tip-end of the cantilever and falls on the
surface below (see
Figure 7.2h ).
8. Move the laser onto the tip-end of the cantilever by reversing the direction of the rear-right
laser control knob clockwise until the spot disappears from the surface below.
9. The laser is now on one of the two cantilevers. To determine which cantilever the laser is on:
2
3
Reflections on Laser
View Screen
On cantilever leg
or tip
Near cantilever
tip
(Optimized for
Sensitivity)
1
1