RHK Technology R9 - Chapter 3. Approach; 3.1 Approach Settings

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Chapter 3. Approach
Now that the R9 Hardware has been confirmed to be working as expected, the next step will be to bring
the probe and sample close enough to create an interaction for feedback. This can be a tunneling current,
a cantilever deflection, a frequency shift, etc. In most cases, a separate mechanism or motor is used to
take large steps while the software checks for tip-sample interaction between steps.
Please review Appendix F, Approach for information how to load and configure the Approach
Procedures before continuing.
There are several steps to the Coarse Approach Procedure that are common to many microscope
designs:
1. Verify the Approach Settings.
2. Verify the Feedback Settings.
3. The Fast In Approach procedure is used to quickly bring the tip optically close to the sample.
Tip
The tip-sample separation should be monitored by a camera during the Fast In procedure
and can be stopped manually.
Important
The Approach Procedure will be highlighted on the Approach Procedure Panel while the
Procedure is running. Selecting the Approach Procedure again will stop the approach.
4. Use the Slow Approach Procedure to close the remaining tip-sample separation. The Slow Approach
has feedback tests between steps so the approach should stop automatically when the feedback
conditions have been met.
5. Adjust the position of the scan head by using the Single Step In and Single Step Out Procedures (if
needed).
The size of each approach and retract step may need to be adjusted to match a specific scan head.
These values are easily adjusted in the Procedures. These are also described in the Approach Appendix.
3.1 Approach Settings
Before approaching, it is important to check the Approach and Feedback settings so the R9 Controller
and microscope behave as expected. Open the Approach Procedures Panel, it should look like the
following figure. Selecting the * icon to the right of the Procedure name will open that Procedure in
Procedure Space.
The Approach Procedures should already be loaded on the Approach Procedures Panel. To access
the Approach Procedures Panel, select the Dashboard view and press the Approach button found on
the Scan Area Window.