Very compact design for a low-temperature tuning fork atomic force microscope

Abstract

The authors present a new design for a tuning fork based noncontact atomic force microscope. The very compact construction in the form of a cylinder with a diameter of only 3 cm and a height of 10 cm makes the microscope especially suitable for measurements at low temperatures. Thermal drift rates are found to be about 1 Å/h at 7 K. Furthermore, the design allows for in situ exchange of the tuning fork even at low temperatures. The performance of the microscope is demonstrated by topographic and spectroscopic measurements on a Ag(111) surface at room temperature and at a temperature of 7 K.