TOKYO, June 17, 2021 - (JCN Newswire) - Hitachi High-Tech Corporation announced the launch of both AFM100 and AFM100
Plus systems - entry-level and intermediate-level models of Hitachi's compact and versatile Atomic Force Microscopes
(AFM). These tools are designed to offer ease of use and superior reliability for high-throughput R or quality control applications.
The AFM is a type of the Scanning Probe Microscope (SPM) that scan the surface of a sample using a sharp tip typically
with a radius of a few nanometers (1 nanometer = 1/1,000,000 millimeter). The AFM can provide both high-resolution
visualization of surface morphology and simultaneous mapping of various other physical properties at the nanoscale.
Therefore, the AFM is intensively used for scientific research and development, as well as quality control across a wide
range of industrial fields, such as examining battery materials, semiconductors, polymers, living organisms, etc.
Conventional AFM operation could be quite time consuming and demanding. The workflow contains some mandatory steps such
as loading a tiny cantilever (approximately 1 mm wide) manually with a tweezer to the target location, determining the
right interaction force between the tip and the sample as well as adjusting the scan speed, all of which may involve
back and forth trials. As a result, the overall throughput from the start of tool setup to the end of data acquisition
was relatively low. In addition, both quality and reliability of acquired AFM data can vary significantly from person to
person since selecting an appropriate type of cantilevers and optimizing an array of imaging parameters are highly
dependent on operator's experience and skill levels.
The AFM100 and AFM100 Plus developed by Hitachi High-Tech address these issues and aim to increase the expansion of AFM
technology in industrial, scientific, and research and development fields. Both the AFM100 and AFM100 Plus render
extreme ease of use and ensure operator-to-operator consistency. Particularly, the AFM100 Plus can be utilized in a wide
variety of applications, including high-resolution imaging of nanomaterials such as graphene and carbon nanofibers, 3D
shape observation over wide areas exceeding 0.1 mm, roughness analysis, and physical property evaluations.
The key benefits of these products are as follows:
1. Improved usability, reliability, and total throughput
To make the cantilever loading/unloading much easier, a newly developed premounted cantilever(1) has been adopted and it
can significantly improve the usability. In addition, these instruments come with an autopilot function that
automatically optimizes measurement parameters, controls the interaction force between the tip and the sample, and
adjusts the scan speed, thus reducing human errors. Therefore, reliable and consistent data acquisition can be readily
realized. The system also supports multi-point measurement with a recipe, which enables automated data collection and
storage throughout the entire measurement process just by a single click, thus the total throughput can be dramatically
increased.
2. Enhanced correlation with Hitachi High-Tech's SEM
The optional AFM marking function uses Hitachi High-Tech's originally developed S?Mic solution. S?Mic (Scanning Atomic
and Electron Microscopy) is a correlated imaging technique that improves compatibility between AFM and Scanning Electron
Microscopes (SEM). Specifically, both the AFM and SEM can be used to examine the sample at the same locations, which
enables a cross-platform, multifaceted analytical approach to achieve comprehensive characterizations of mechanical,
electrical, and compositional properties of the sample.
3. Scalable and durable
The system comes with the lifetime free download of new control software and a self-checking function that can
automatically diagnose the root cause of malfunctions as standard, contributing to long service life for users. This
allows users to keep their equipment up-to-date and performing at its highest level.
Hitachi High-Tech is committed to developing innovative solutions such as these AFM products, creating social and
environmental values together with our customers, as well as contributing to cutting-edge manufacturing.
(1) Premounted cantilever: This method uses a cassette chip with a pre-installed cantilever for lever mounting.