Instruction manual

Calibration, Maintenance, Troubleshooting and Warranty
Adjustment Screw Maintenance Procedure
324 MultiMode SPM Instruction Manual Rev. B
• Replace the O-ring with a slice of thin-walled glass, plastic, or stainless steel tubing.
The diameter and thickness of the ring of tubing should be chosen to prevent contacting
the inner or outer walls of the circular groove in the glass cantilever holder. This gives
the head more room to move laterally during engagement and for positioning the tip
over the sample surface. The height of the ring of tubing must be chosen so that it is not
too tall to prevent the tip from reaching the sample surface, or so short that the ring does
not reach the bottom of the glass cantilever holder before engagement. Glue the ring of
tubing to the steel sample puck or to the sample to prevent leaks.
Note: When using the ring of tubing in the fluid cell, fluid cannot be circulated
through the cell as when using the supplied O-ring.
• When positioning the O-ring on the surface, adjust the positioning knob at the base of
the head to move it slightly forward. This will counter some of the lateral stress on the
O-ring due to the head shifting rearward during engagement.
15.13.2 Leaks
To prevent leaks when using the supplied O-ring, it is best to place the O-ring on the sample before
placing the head on the scanner.
15.14 Adjustment Screw Maintenance Procedure
This section covers maintenance procedures for adjustment screws used on Veeco Small Sample
microscopes. These screws are used to support and position the head relative to the scanner, and
must be cleaned periodically to ensure smooth operation. Instructions for the removal, cleaning,
lubrication and replacement of adjustment screws are included in this section. A schedule of
inspection and service is recommended at least every three months.
If adjustment screws are inspected and cleaned regularly, they should last the life of the scanner
without replacement. Contamination of the screws with grit depends heavily upon the operating
environment, types of material(s) being scanned, and operator handling.
15.14.1 Inspection
Small Sample SPMs utilize fine-pitch (1/4"-80) adjustment screws; in some scanners, two of them
are manually turned, and a third (rear) screw is turned by a motor located in the microscope base.
The Vertical Engagement “JV” scanner has just one adjustment screw. The diagram below
illustrates a screw and adjacent hardware installed on later-model (post-August 1993) microscopes.
Earlier models have their brass threaded inserts installed at the top of the scanner body (rather than
the bottom) and feature a Teflon bushing. Inspection and service is similar for all types.