User`s guide

Agilent 5500 SPM Components 2
Agilent 5500 SPM User’s Guide 36
Nose Assembly
The nose assembly retains the cantilever and enables its motion. A
spring clip on the nose assembly secures the probe in place. The nose
assembly is held securely in the scanner by an O-ring.
One-Piece Nose Assemblies
The most widely used nose assemblies consist of a single unit which is
installed in the scanner (Figure 12). One-piece nose assemblies are
available for different modes and may include additional electronics
and/or components. For example, the Top MAC nose assembly includes
a coil that provides an oscillating magnetic field.
Additionally, nose assemblies are designed to hold the probe at either
nine degrees or eight degrees from horizontal. Nine degree nose
assemblies are used for general purpose imaging, while both nine and
eight degree nose assemblies are used for imaging in liquid.
Figure 12 One-piece nose assemblies. Clockwise from upper left: Top
MAC, CSAFM, Contact Mode, AC Mode, STM
Two-Piece Nose Assemblies
The all-metal, two-piece nose assembly (Figure 13) was designed to
simplify the process of inserting a cantilever. It also helps prevent