3.3.1.b. Cypher Instrument Manual PDF

Cypher
AFM
Instrument Manual

Marta Redrado Notivoli
Phone: (03) 9035 8587
Email: martar@unimelb.edu.au
3.3.1. Instrument Manual
Last revised: May 2015
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Responsible Officer: Marta Redrado Notivoli
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Next Review: May 2017
!
!
AFM$Instrument$Assessment$Checklist
!
Instrument:!______________________________________________________________________!
User!Name:!______________________________________________________________________!
!
Sample!preparation!
Sample!set!up!on!microscope!
Place!cantilever!on!holder!
Focus!on:!!
o Cantilever!
o Sample!
Place!laser!
Deflection!
Set!point!
Engage!
Software!
Imaging!in!contact!
Imaging!in!tapping!
o Tuning!
Basic!analysis:!!
o Roughness!
o Section!
o 3D!
Data!transfer:!!
o Paint!
o USB!
!
Notes!
Start!date:!__________________________________________!
Completion!date:!__________________________________!
Assessed!by:!________________________________________! Signature:!_______________________________!
!
Please& note& this& form& needs& to& be& completed& within& 2& months& from& the& start&
date.&!
If&not,&re8training&might&be&required.!
User&samples&are&not&to&be&brought&to&the&lab&until&this&form&has&been&signed&
by&the&PSO&(Platform&Support&Officer).!!

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CONTACT MODE
1. Set up the system:
Turn on controller
Turn on computer
2. Set up the computer program:
Click on Asylum Research icon on the desktop.
When you open Asylum Research program the initial window is:

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In order to continue you must click yes to the following question that will appear in the
screen:
3. Mount probe and place the sample:

Select the right holder to mount the probe. In this chapter we are explaining the
process for analysing a sample in air, not liquid; therefore pick the holder with the word
AIR written on it.
Slide the cantilever holder in.
Push down the holder to mount the tip. The little metal arm that holds the cantilever will
be pushed up when you push the holder down. Place cantilever carefully using
tweezers.
Prepare your sample by mounting it on a metal disk using double sided tape.

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Pull up the handle on the right side of the microscope in order to unlock the door and
then open it.
Next, move the stage out by pulling up the black handle located on the right side of the
stage (see image below).
Once you have mounted your sample on a metal disk with a sticky-tape. Place the disk
on the sample holder showed in the picture below.
Use the screwdriver that is located on the left and loosen the little screw that is shown in
the image below, so the cantilever holder can be held in place.

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Once you have placed the cantilever holder in the right place, tighten the screw again.
Once the cantilever holder and the sample are in the right place, slide the stage back
and push the black handle down.
Close the door and push the handle on the side to lock the door.
4. Focus on tip:
Once you press yes a new window will appear:
Bring the sample and the tip closer by using the roulette at the front of the microscope
to put the tip closer.

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On the software at the bottom tool bar there is a camera sign. Click on it so the video
window comes up.
If the screen is too dark, the illumination can be adjusted by dragging the cursor at the
bottom of the video window (see image above).
Once you have answered yes to the question above, a new window will appear (Engage
Panel). Click on: Focus on Tip.
In order to focus on the tip you have to use the arrows in the Engage Panel (see picture
above) to move the focus closer or further.
Once you are happy with the focus, click on SET (next to Focus on Tip).

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5. Focus on sample
At the Engage Panel click on Focus On Sample:
To focus on the sample you have to use the arrows in the Engage Panel (see picture
above) to move the focus closer or further.
Once you are happy with the focus, click on SET (next to Focus on Sample).
6. Align the laser
Turn on the laser.
At the Engage Panel click on Focus On Tip.

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In order to align the laser, click spot on on the video screen. Focus on the tip and then
click on the location of the tip where you want the laser to be:
7. Adjust photodiode signal:

At Engage Panel select the Detector tab:
Press the button showed above in the green circle. The red dot will move to the centre:
Deflection=0 and Lateral=0 (as seen in image).

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Because we are using contact mode its important to place the red dot at -2V for the
deflection (vertical axis). Use the arrows next to the Deflection axis to bring the
photodiode to -2 position.
Note: After all the alignment and focusing is done, press Move To Safety Height at the
Engage Panel so the tip is at a safe distance of the surface and it doesnt crash the
sample.
8. Set initial Scan Parameters:

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9. Engage and start taking images:

At the engage panel (back to Approach tab), click on Start Tip Approach:
After the tip has approached, press engage:
Then in the Master Panel click Do Scan to start.

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10. Adjust Scan Parameters:

If the feedback parameters are adjusted optimally, the trace and retrace scan lines
should look very similar, but may not look completely identical.
(Trace and Retrace scan lines are just below the image)
If the graphs dont look very similar change the values of the Velocity Tip, Integral Gain
and Setpoint in order to optimise them.
Remember that in Contact mode, increasing the Setpoint increases the force on the
sample. Minimizing the imaging force is recommended for most applications.
11. Save images:
By default when opening the Asylum Research program, all the pictures will be saved
automatically.
You can see that in the Master Panel:
Give a name to the image in Base Name. If more than one image of the same sample is
taken, it is not necessary to change the name every time. The Base suffix will keep
changing (starting from 0).
If you want to change the folder where the data and images are stored press Path:

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And follow the instructions:
12. Stop the scan and turn off the microscope:

If you want to stop scanning the sample press the button Stop!!! on the Master Panel :
At the Engage Panel press (Un)Load Sample:

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The optical head will go up, so it is safe to remove the sample and the cantilever.
Turn off the laser

Turn the controller off
Open the microscope door
Slide the stage out
Remove the cantilever holder and the sample
Slide the stage back in
Close the microscope door
Close Asylum Research program
Turn off the computer.

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TAPPING MODE
Follow the same steps as for contact mode.
In Step 7: Adjust Photodiode Signal, there is a small change. For tapping mode the
Deflection and Lateral have to be 0. Therefore once you click on the button:
It will automatically align the Deflection and Lateral to (0,0) so you don't need to do
anything else.
Continue with Step 8: Set Initial Scan Parameters
Note that you need to change the imaging mode to AC Mode (Tapping).

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Before engaging (step 9) for tapping mode it is necessary to tune the cantilever
because each tip has a different frequency so this Auto Tune tool adjusts it in order to
carry out a good experiment.
At the master panel click on the Tune thumb. Then in the Tune Panel click on Auto
Tune. The default Target Amplitude is 1V but depending on the sample this will need to
be changed (check at the end of this manual for suggestions).
Once you have finished tuning the cantilever, you are ready to continue with Step 9 to
Step 12, which are exactly the same as the Contact Mode steps.

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APPENDIX: TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS

Turn on the isolation table when you have finished setting up the sample and the
cantilever holder.
When you turn it on, it will first do a height adjustment.
Once adjustment is finished the screen of the table will show Isolation disabled, then
press button E.
It will enable the isolation, the screen will now show Isolation enabled and the red light
will be on.

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Contact Mode:
In contact mode when you increase the Set Point, you are increasing the force of the tip
against the surface and when you decrease the Set Point, you are decreasing the force
of the tip against the surface.
Tapping Mode:
When you increase the Set Point, you are decreasing the force of the tip against the
surface and when you decrease the Set Point, you are increasing the force of the tip
against the surface. Note it is exactly the opposite in contact mode.
Usually when doing Auto Tune the target amplitude by default is 1V and in the Master
Panel the Set Point is 800mv (80% of the target Amplitude).
Depending on the sample, we should set different amplitudes. If the surface is very flat,
it is recommended to set the Target Amplitude to 0.5V and the Set Point to 400mV
(80% of the Target Amplitude).
If the surface is very rough it is recommended to set the Target Amplitude to 2v and the
Set Point to 1600mV (80% of the Target Amplitude).
The Drive Amplitude is usually not changed. If you decide to change it, be careful and
change it slowly while imaging.
Image Analysis
For more information check the manual: Basics for image analysis using Igor Pro.

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Cypher

3.3.1. Instrument Manual

2. Set up the computer program:

Click on Asylum Research icon on the desktop.

3.3.1. Instrument Manual

3. Mount probe and place the sample:

Slide the cantilever holder in.

3.3.1. Instrument Manual

3.3.1. Instrument Manual

3.3.1. Instrument Manual

3.3.1. Instrument Manual

3.3.1. Instrument Manual

7. Adjust photodiode signal:

3.3.1. Instrument Manual

8. Set initial Scan Parameters:

3.3.1. Instrument Manual

9. Engage and start taking images:

After the tip has approached, press engage:

Then in the Master Panel click Do Scan to start.

3.3.1. Instrument Manual

10. Adjust Scan Parameters:

3.3.1. Instrument Manual

And follow the instructions:

12. Stop the scan and turn off the microscope:

At the Engage Panel press (Un)Load Sample:

3.3.1. Instrument Manual

Turn off the laser

3.3.1. Instrument Manual

3.3.1. Instrument Manual

3.3.1. Instrument Manual

APPENDIX: TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS

When you turn it on, it will first do a height adjustment.

3.3.1. Instrument Manual

3.3.1. Instrument Manual

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