8NTS-01XY – plane-parallel device for positioning / scanning. The device is a monolithic metal body (usually made of high quality aluminum alloy), in which EDM wire-eroding and other methods of precision machining formed channels for piezoceramic actuators, mobile elements of stage, etc. This design provides excellent linearity and flatness of the movement, in contrast to the classical scanners based on piezoelectric tubes, the surface scan which is in the sphere. In addition, the plane-parallel nano scanners have high mechanical strength, compared with fragile piezoelectric tubes.

All axes 8NTS-01XY nano scanners are equipped with capacitive displacement sensors included in the chain of digital feedback. It provides high accuracy and linearity of movement, eliminates the effects of drift (creep) piezoceramics. The measuring part is based on TDC (time-to-digital converters) that are physically located as close to the sensors, and immediately issue a digital signal proportional to the measured capacitance. This minimizes the influence of external electromagnetic noise, and use long cables to connect the scanner to the controller.

Control 8NTS-01XY nano scanning stage by means of a universal controller 8NSC-3061 and software NSpec.

Actually, plane stage 8NTS-01XY + fully functional SPM controller 8NSC-3061+ universal software NSpec are complete scanning, data acquisition and visualization system, which is a “heart” of any scanning microscope, and perfectly fits for any “home made” systems. Customer, which task is using own home made nanosensor of some physical signal to obtain it’s distribution at nanometer scale, purchasing such a product , saves his scientific project time and resources .

Electronic controller 8NSC-3061 is designed to control SPM or confocal microscope performance. Controller provides data acquisition from system sensors and external devices, applies control voltage to scanners piezoelectric actuators, all obtained information is transferring to PC work station for visualization and processing. Control signal is transferring from PC to controller for adjust all system parameters. One of the most important parts of the 8NSC-3061 controller is closed loop feedback system. Based on a high quality 20-bit TDC (Time to Digital Converter) to measure displacement capacitance sensors. Any available system signal can be used for SPM feedback. Controller is capable to operate 6 channels with feed back simultaneously, which allows to scan by tip and by sample both.

8NSC-3061 SPM controller contains 2-channel lock-in amplifier to provide resonant SPM techniques, for example non contact spm mode. Lock in amplifier includes high stable voltage generator based on digital frequency synthesizer. High speed data processing implemented, using programmable logic(PLIS), allows to perform high quality lock in performance up to 1.5MHz band.

8NSC-3061 has malty channel (up to 12) stepping motor control with micro step option for rough adjustments of scanning head (stage).

Controller for nano scanning stage has external analog inputs and outputs for external equipment connections, sync inputs and outputs. Connection with PC work station is provided via USB interface. Universal software Nspec, designed for using with 8NSC-3061 has wide range of possibilities for data processing, which allows to implement set of modern SPM techniques. Nspec is capable of running under different operation systems.