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Scanning Probe Microscopy

Fast PLL Optimization for High Q Resonators Without Frequency Sweeps

19.09.2023

PID error before and after optimization

Resonators with very high Q factor are notoriously complicated to lock because of the steep slope phase at resonance. Precise determination of phase setpoint and gains can be highly time consuming since very high frequency resolution is required. This blog explains how to optimize the PLL by starting with an educated guess and optimizing everything in closed-loop, which is much faster than conventional open-loop characterizations.

Resonator Characterization via the Pound-Drever-Hall Method

21.08.2023

PDH Block diagram

This blog discusses methods for measuring the frequency fluctuations and quality factor, 𝑄, of a resonator. Resonators are physical systems that naturally oscillate at a well-defined frequency. At this resonant frequency, energy exchanges periodically between two forms, for example, kinetic and spring energy as in a scanning probe microscope’s cantilever...

Setting Up the UHFLI Boxcar Averager for Pulsed Laser Experiments

21.06.2023

teaser

Boxcar averagers (sometimes also known with the name of “gated integrators”) are instruments used to measure signals stemming from low-duty-cycle experiments. The information contained in low-duty-cycle pulsed signals is concentrated within a short time duration; thus, the idea behind the boxcar averager is to record the signal only during the...

Boost Your SPM Applications - Q&A

19.10.2020

Boost SPM Webinar Screenshot

Following up on the webinar dedicated to Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) techniques, I'd like to post a short summary in this blog as well as answers to most questions raised during this event. The recording of this webinar can be found on the Zurich Instruments YouTube channel here...

Meeting SPM Users Virtually

16.05.2020

SPM Usermeeting 2020 Head

The 4th SPM User Meeting that was originally planned to occur in April in Lyon was rescheduled to 2021 due to the COVID-19 situation. We therefore found inventive ways to stay connected with our community, in a virtual manner, while leaving everyone safe at home. This blog post summarizes the...

Resonance Enhancement - A Tale of Two Data Analysis Methods

17.09.2019

Big Data Big Picture

Benefit and Challenge of Resonance Enhancement Resonance enhancement technique is the fastlane toward raising signal well above the noise floor to increase signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and dynamical range. Such an approach is common for scanning probe microscopy (SPM) or nano-/micro-electromechanical systems (NEMS/MEMS) that rely on mechanical amplification from a vibrating...

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