DESIGN AND PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF A 3-DIMENSIONAL SAMPLE TRANSLATIONDEVICE USED IN ULTRAHIGH-VACUUM SCANNED PROBE MICROSCOPY

For micropatterned or technological samples and to achieve overlap wit h lower magnification microscopic techniques, there is a demand for hi gh-resolution imaging capabilities in combination with reproducible sa mple translation. Degradation of the signal-to-noise ratio and piezo n onlinearities limit the maximum scan range, resolution and, in particu lar, the linearity of piezo scanners. To overcome these problems, we h ave designed and operated a compact three-dimensional inertially drive n translation device for scanning probe microscopy techniques. We demo nstrate the operation of the device, which can access a volume of 2 cm (3) in three-dimensional space and permits imaging with atomic resolut ion. Reproducibility of step size is analyzed in detail. The importanc e of selected material pairing of the sliding components is discussed for ultrahigh vacuum operation. (C) 1996 American Vacuum Society.