NT-MDT NTEGRA Spectra User manual

SNOM Measuring Head
www.ntmdt-si.com
NTEGRA platform
Instruction Manual
NTEGRA Spectra

NTEGRA Spectra Probe NanoLaboratory
SNOM Measuring Head
Instruction Manual
www.ntmdt-si.com
2010 - 2018,
Copyright © NT-MDT SI
NT-MDT Spectrum Instruments Proezd 4922, 4/3
Zelenograd, Moscow 124460, Russia
Tel.: + 7 [phone]

Read me First!
Observe safety measures for operation with devices containing sources of laser radiation.
Do not stare into the beam. A label warning about the presence of laser radiation is
attached to the laser sources (Fig. 1).
Fig. 1
Before you start working with the instrument, get acquainted with the basic safety
measures and the operation conditions for the instrument!
If you are a beginner in scanning probe microscopy, we recommend you to familiarize with
basic SPM techniques. “Fundamentals of Scanning Probe Microscopy” by V.L. Mironov
gives a good introduction to the subject. This book is available free of charge at
https://www.ntmdt-si.com/customer-support/manuals/textbook.
Feedback
Should you have any questions, which are not explained in the manuals, please contact the
Service Department of the company ([email protected]) and our engineers will
give you comprehensive answers. Alternatively, you can contact our staff on-line using
the ask-on-line service (http://online.ntmdt-si.com/online).

User’s documentation set
The following manuals are included into the user’s documentation set:
-Instruction Manual – is the guidance on preparation of the instrument and other
equipment for operation on various techniques of Scanning Probe Microscopy. The
contents of the user’s documentation set may differ depending on the delivery set of the
instrument.
-SPM Software Reference Manual – is the description of the control program
interface functions, all commands and functions of the menu and, also a description of
the Image Analysis module and the Macro Language “Nova PowerScript”.
-Control Electronics. Reference Manual – is the guide to SPM controller,
Thermocontroller and Signal Access module.
Some equipment, which is described in the manuals, may not be included into your
delivery set. Read the specification of your contract for more information.
The manuals are updated regularly. Their latest versions can be found in the site of the
company (http://www.ntmdt-si.com/support).

Table of Contents
NTEGRA Spectra Probe NanoLaboratory. SNOM
Measuring Head. Instruction Manual
Table of Contents
1. BASIC INFORMATION......................................................................................................................... 2
1.1. OVERVIEW........................................................................................................................................ 2
1.2. PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION ................................................................................................................ 2
1.3. DESIGN ............................................................................................................................................. 4
1.3.1. Optical Measuring Head................................................................................................... 5
1.3.2. Optical Tube...................................................................................................................... 9
1.3.3. Laser beam delivery system............................................................................................. 11
1.3.4. Photomultiplier Module .................................................................................................. 12
1.4. BASIC SAFETY MEASURES ............................................................................................................. 13
1.5. OPERATING CONDITIONS................................................................................................................ 15
1.6. STORAGE AND TRANSPORT INSTRUCTIONS .................................................................................... 16
2. ASSEMBLING OF THE SNOM MODULE........................................................................................ 17
2.1. EXCHANGING THE REPLACEABLE PANEL OF THE BASE UNIT ......................................................... 17
2.2. MOUNTING THE OPTICAL TUBE...................................................................................................... 18
2.3. MOUNTING THE LASER BEAM DELIVERY SYSTEM ........................................................................... 21
3. PREPARING FOR OPERATION........................................................................................................ 23
3.1. PREPARING AND INSTALLING THE SAMPLE..................................................................................... 23
3.2. PREPARING AND INSTALLING THE APERTURE PROBE ..................................................................... 26
3.3. INSTALLING THE PROBE HOLDER................................................................................................... 28
3.4. INSTALLING THE MEASURING HEAD .............................................................................................. 28
3.5. PRELIMINARY APPROACHING AND SELECTING SCAN AREA ........................................................... 30
3.6. PRIMARY ADJUSTING THE DETECTION CHANNEL........................................................................... 31
3.7. LAUNCHING THE CONTROL PROGRAM ........................................................................................... 33
3.8. ADJUSTING THE OPTICAL CANTILEVER DEFLECTION DETECTION SYSTEM .................................... 34
4. PERFORMING MEASUREMENTS ................................................................................................... 38
4.1. APPROACHING THE SAMPLE AND FINE ADJUSTING THE DETECTION CHANNEL.............................. 39
4.2. ADJUSTING THE DELIVERY CHANNEL ............................................................................................ 40
4.3. SCANNING ...................................................................................................................................... 47
4.4. SAVING DATA ................................................................................................................................ 50
4.5. FINISHING THE WORK .................................................................................................................... 51
1

NTEGRA Spectra Probe NanoLaboratory. SNOM Measuring Head. Instruction Manual
1.Basic Information
1.1. Overview
SNOM measuring head serves for measurements with the scanning near-field optical
microscopy (SNOM) with the instrument NTEGRA Spectra PNL (configuration
Upright)1. This head is an optional part of the instrument.
SNOM functionality is enabled by aperture probes which operates both as microsized
apertures and as SPM cantilevers. Optical resolution of data is determined by diameter
(50÷150 nm) of an aperture.
SNOM technique provides study of surface optical properties (spatial distribution of
reflectivity and transmittivity over the sample surface, distribution of fluorescent
characteristics, etc.) of various objects with resolution several times higher the diffraction
limit. For high resolution, the probing radiation is focused on an aperture of size much
less than the radiation wavelength, passes through it as an evanescent electromagnetic
wave, and reaches the sample located in the near field vicinity of the aperture. The
operating aperture-sample distance is of order of several nanometers and so the light spot
on the sample is approximately of the size of the aperture. This eliminates diffraction
smearing of images taken with scanning the sample with the SNOM probe.
1.2. Principle of Operation
SNOM measuring head used with the NTEGRA Spectra PNL (Upright configuration)
operates in the optical scheme of the Transmission Illumination Mode, which is used for
transparent or semitransparent samples.
1For details on design and operation of the PNL, refer to manual NTEGRA Spectra Probe NanoLaboratory
(Upright Configuration with Renishaw Spectrometer)
2