Q&A.pdf

Question: “Scanner capabilities a. Decoupled XY and Z scanners.” What is the technical need for decoupled scanners? Coupled scanners perform just as well as decoupled scanners. Can this requirement be removed?

Answer: It is removable.

Question: “XY scan range of 100 micrometers x 100 micrometers or larger, with resolution of 0.05 nanometers or less.” 0.05 nm “resolution” what does this mean? Is this just a vendor specification? Typically, the position noise of the whole closed loop system is given.

Answer: Change this to “low noise XY closed loop scan of 0.5% of scan range or better”.

Question: “Position detector noise of 0.03 nanometer or less.” What is “position detection noise”? Is this z-sensor noise?

Answer: Yes. Change this to “z-scanner position detector noise of 0.1 nanometer or less”.

Question: “Sample mount capable of accommodating sample size up to 100 mm x 100 mm and a thickness up to 20 mm.” This seems like a very thick sample and again we wonder if this is just a vendor lock-out specification. Is 20mm thick sample capability really required? Can this be changed to a more realistic sample thickness?

Answer: Change this to “Sample mount capable of accommodating sample size up to 100 mm x 100 mm and a thickness up to 20 mm”. We do have samples from time to time that are this size and thickness.

Question: “Motorized stage for AFM head movement in the Z direction with travel range of at least 10 mm. Z stage travel steps must be 0.08 micrometers or less.” Z direction travel range of 25 mm – is this another vendor spec or is it really a requirement for research purposes? We would like to see this changed to a more realistic number like 10mm.

Answer: Change “25 mm” to “20 mm”.