Instruction manual

Interleave Scanning and LiftMode
Operation of Interleave Scanning / Lift Mode
Rev. B MultiMode SPM Instruction Manual 221
Note that certain constraints are imposed: scan sizes, offsets, angles, and rates and numbers of
samples per scan line are the same for the main and interleave data, and the imaging context
(contact, TappingMode, or force modulation) must also match.
3. Choose the Interleave Data Type: Depending on the type of microscope, Interleave mode
allows the options of amplitude, phase, frequency, potential, input potential, or data types for
doing far-field (MFM or EFM) imaging; see Chapter 13 for detailed examples. Auxiliary
channels are also available for some applications.
Once the Interleave Data Type is chosen, Interleave mode is automatically enabled, triggering
Interleave scanning. Interleave data typically displays as the second (right) image. Note that the
scan rate in the slow direction is halved.
4. Display the interleave data by switching Scan line (in the Channel panels) to Interleave.
• Lift scan height: The lateral and vertical resolutions of the Lift data depend on the
distance between tip and sample: the lower the tip, the higher the resolution. However,
the Lift scan height must be high enough that the tip does not contact the sample during
the Lift trace and retrace.
• Tip Shape: As shown in Figure 12.3a, the tip separation in the LiftMode is defined in
terms of the Z direction only. The Lift scan height is added to the height values taken
from previous scan lines point-by-point. However, the tip may be closer to the sample
than the Z separation indicates. On features with steep edges, the tip may get very close
to the sample even though the Z separation is constant; see Figure 12.3a.
• Scan Line Direction: The Line direction should be set to Retrace for both the main and
interleaved scans. If it is set instead to Trace, a band may appear along the left side of
the images due to the ramp between the surface and the Lift scan height.