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Title: Design and Characterization of a MEMS Probe Scanner for On-chip Atomic Force Microscopy

Abstract

This paper presents the design and characterization of a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-based probe scanner proposed to function as an on-chip atomic force microscope (AFM). The device comprises an in-plane stage with electrostatic actuators and electrothermal displacement sensors. The stage is able to precisely position an AFM probe over a sample to perform tapping-mode AFM imaging. For implementation, a standard silicon-on-insulator (SOI) microfabrication process is used. In a previously reported design, the embedded AFM probe featured only one piezoelectric transducer for simultaneous actuation and sensing, making its use in imaging problematic. To address this issue, the new design features separate actuation and sensing AlN piezoelectric transducers. An extra electrode is also incorporated on the probe that enables canceling the electrical feedthrough from the actuation to sensing. To accommodate the extra signal routing paths, mechanical design of the probe scanner is modified. Device characterization reveals an in-plane displacement range of 8 µm×7 µm with a bandwidth of up to 2.7 kHz. The frequencydomain behavior of the AFM probe is also studied and feedthrough cancellation is performed at the resonant frequency of 127.35 kHz.

Authors:
 [1];  [1]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. University of Texas at Dallas
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Univ. of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Energy Efficiency Office. Advanced Manufacturing Office
OSTI Identifier:
1556937
DOE Contract Number:  
EE0008322
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: International Conference on Manipulation, Automation and Robotics at Small Scales, Helsinki, Finland, July 1-5, 2019.
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
42 ENGINEERING; AFM; probe scanner; nanopositione; MEMS

Citation Formats

Maroufi, Mohammad, Alemansour, Hamed, and Moheimani, S. O. Reza. Design and Characterization of a MEMS Probe Scanner for On-chip Atomic Force Microscopy. United States: N. p., 2019. Web. doi:10.1109/MARSS.2019.8860968.
Maroufi, Mohammad, Alemansour, Hamed, & Moheimani, S. O. Reza. Design and Characterization of a MEMS Probe Scanner for On-chip Atomic Force Microscopy. United States. https://doi.org/10.1109/MARSS.2019.8860968
Maroufi, Mohammad, Alemansour, Hamed, and Moheimani, S. O. Reza. 2019. "Design and Characterization of a MEMS Probe Scanner for On-chip Atomic Force Microscopy". United States. https://doi.org/10.1109/MARSS.2019.8860968. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1556937.
@article{osti_1556937,
title = {Design and Characterization of a MEMS Probe Scanner for On-chip Atomic Force Microscopy},
author = {Maroufi, Mohammad and Alemansour, Hamed and Moheimani, S. O. Reza},
abstractNote = {This paper presents the design and characterization of a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-based probe scanner proposed to function as an on-chip atomic force microscope (AFM). The device comprises an in-plane stage with electrostatic actuators and electrothermal displacement sensors. The stage is able to precisely position an AFM probe over a sample to perform tapping-mode AFM imaging. For implementation, a standard silicon-on-insulator (SOI) microfabrication process is used. In a previously reported design, the embedded AFM probe featured only one piezoelectric transducer for simultaneous actuation and sensing, making its use in imaging problematic. To address this issue, the new design features separate actuation and sensing AlN piezoelectric transducers. An extra electrode is also incorporated on the probe that enables canceling the electrical feedthrough from the actuation to sensing. To accommodate the extra signal routing paths, mechanical design of the probe scanner is modified. Device characterization reveals an in-plane displacement range of 8 µm×7 µm with a bandwidth of up to 2.7 kHz. The frequencydomain behavior of the AFM probe is also studied and feedthrough cancellation is performed at the resonant frequency of 127.35 kHz.},
doi = {10.1109/MARSS.2019.8860968},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1556937}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 2019},
month = {Mon Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 2019}
}

Conference:
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