Welcome to Labtech-EM, if you can’t find what you’re looking for please get in touch via our contact us page.

AFM calibration standards

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) has become a valuable tool for imaging and accurate measurements at the micrometre and nanometre scale. In order to validate the measuring capabilities, an AFM system needs to be correctly calibrated.

Labtech offers a selection of affordable and accurate AFM calibration standards for Z-axis and X-Y-axis calibration:

  • HS series with 20nm, 100nm and 500nm calibrated Z height also offer X–Y calibration for larger scanners in the 40-100µm range
  • CS calibration standard with 20nm Z height also enables X- Y-axis calibration at a smaller scanner size in the µm range
  • CS and HS series AFM calibration standard structures are all fabricated on a Si chip which is mounted on a 12mm stainless steel AFM disc with electrically conductive epoxy resin

Calibration Standard

HS-20MG

HS-100MG

HS-500MG

CS-20NG

Product #

34-030020

34-030100

34-030500

34-032020

Height (Z)

20nm

100nm

500nm

20nm

Height (Z) accuracy

2%

3%

3%

2%

X-Pitch

10µm, 5µm

10µm, 5µm

10µm, 5µm

10µm, 5µm, 500nm

Y-Pitch

10µm, 5µm

10µm, 5µm

10µm, 5µm

10µm, 5µm, 500nm

Pitch accuracy

0.1µm, 0.1µm

0.1µm, 0.1µm

0.1µm, 0.1µm

0.1µm, 0.1µm, 10nm

10µm pitch structure
5µm pitch structure

500nm pitch

Square holes / pillars
Round holes, pillars & lines

Square holes / pillars
Round holes, pillars & lines

Square holes / pillars
Round holes, pillars & lines

Square holes / pillars
Round holes, pillars & lines
Round holes

10µm pitch area
5µm pitch area
500nm pitch area

1x1mm
500×500µm

1x1mm
500×500µm

1x1mm
500×500µm

1x1mm
500×500µm
100×100µm

Die size

5x5mm

5x5mm

5x5mm

5x5mm

Construction

SiO2 on Si

SiO2 on Si

SiO2 on Si

SiO2 on Si

Mounted

12mm AFM disc

12mm AFM disc

12mm AFM disc

12mm AFM disc

 

TGX calibration grating

Test grating

TGX

TGF11

Product # 34-033010-U / 34-033010 34-033030-U / 34-033030
Calibrated pitch value 3 µm 10 µm
Pitch accuracy 0.1 µm 0.1 µm
Edge radii 5nm 5nm
Angle 54.74° 54.74°
Step height, approx. 1 µm 1.75 µm
Active area 1 x 1 mm 3 x 3 mm
Construction Etched silicon Etched silicon
Chip dimensions 5 x 5 x 0.3mm 5 x 5 x 0.3mm
Mounting option On 12mm AFM disc On 12mm AFM disc

TGX calibration grating with an undercut edge is made by two-dimensional anisotropic etching along the (111) crystallographic planes of silicon. Typical radius of the edges is 5nm. The TGX calibration grating is intended for lateral calibration of SPM scanners, but is equally useful for detection of lateral non-linearity, hysteresis, creep, cross-coupling effects and determination of the tip aspect ratio. Calibrated pitch is 3um with a non-calibrated step height of 1um. Chip size is 5x5x0.3mm with an active area of 1x1mm. Supplied either unmounted or mounted on a 12mm AFM disc.

For ordering information and pricing please select from the links below:

HS 20MG

HS-100MG

HS-550MG

TGX calibration grating

TGF11 calibration gratings

 

AFM calibration standards ordering information:

HS-20MG

HS-20MG is predominantly a height AFM calibration standard with a 20nm calibrated height. It consists of silicon dioxide structures on a 5 x 5mm silicon chip. The fabrication process guarantees excellent uniformity of the structures across the chip. The calibration area isin the centre of the silicon chip and consists of a larger square of 1 x 1mm with square pillars and holes with a 10µm pitch. In the centre of this square there is a smaller square of 500 x 500µm with circular pillars and holes with a 5µm pitch.
This design also allows for X-/Y-axis calibration for bigger scanners in the 10-40µm range. The structural symmetry of the HS-20MG enables calibrating your AFM system in one step without rotating the sample in between X- and Y-axis calibration.
HS-20MG can be supplied mounted on a 12mm metal AFM disc using electrically conductive epoxy resin or unmounted. The exact height value is stated on the label of the HS-20MG.

HS-100MG Calibration standard

HS-100MG is predominantly a height AFM calibration standard with a 100nm calibrated height. It consists of silicon dioxide structures on a 5 x 5mm silicon chip. The fabrication process guarantees excellent uniformity of the structures across the chip. The calibration area is located in the centre of the silicon chip and consists of a larger square of 1 x 1mm with square pillars and holes with a 10µm pitch. In the centre of this square there is a smaller square of 500 x 500µm with circular pillars and holes with a 5µm pitch.
This design also allows for X-/Y-axis calibration for bigger scanners in the 10-40µm range. The structural symmetry of HS-100MG enables calibrating your AFM system in one step without rotating the sample in between X- and Y-axis calibration.
HS-100MG is either supplied as mounted on a 12mm metal AFM disc using electrically conductive epoxy resin or unmounted. The exact height value is stated on the label of the HS-100MG.

HS-500MG Calibration standard

HS-500MG is predominantly a height AFM calibration standard with a 500nm calibrated height. It consists of silicon dioxide structures on a 5 x 5mm silicon chip. The fabrication process guarantees excellent uniformity of structures across the chip. The calibration area is in the centre of the silicon chip and consists of a larger square of 1 x 1mm with square pillars and holes with a 10µm pitch. In the centre of this square resides a smaller square of 500 x 500µm with circular pillars and holes with a 5µm pitch.
This design also allows for X- / Y-axis calibration for biggers scanners in the 10-40µm range. The structure symmetry of the HS-500MG enables calibrating your AFM system in one step without rotating the sample in between X- and Y-axis calibration.
The HS-500MG is supplied either mounted on a 12mm metal AFM disc using electrically conductive epoxy resin or unmounted. The exact height value is stated on the label of the HS-500MG.

CS-20NG AFM calibration standard

CS-20NG is an XYZ AFM calibration standard with a 20nm calibrated height. It consists of silicon dioxide structures on a 5 x 5mm silicon chip. The fabrication process guarantees excellent uniformity of the structures across the chip. The calibration area is located in the centre of the silicon chip and consists of a larger square of 1 x 1mm with square pillars and holes with a 10µm pitch. In the centre of this square resides a medium square of 500 x 500µm with circular pillars and holes with a 5µm pitch. The small square in the centre has a size of 100 x 100µm and contains circular holes with a 500nm pitch.
This design of the nanogrid allows for both laterial and vertical scanner calibration. The structure symmetry of the CS-20NG enables calibrating your AFM system in one step without rotating the sample in between X- and Y-axis calibration.
The CS-20NG is supplied either mounted on a 12mm metal AFM disc using electrically conductive epoxy resin or unmounted. The exact height value is stated on the label of the CS-20NG.

TGX AFM calibration grating

TGX AFM calibration grating with an undercut edge is made by two-dimensional anisotropic etching along the (111) crystallographic planes of silicon. Typical radius of the edges is 5nm. The TGX AFM calibration grating is intended for lateral calibration of SPM scanners, but is equally useful for detection of lateral non-linearity, hysteresis, creep, cross-coupling effects and determination of the tip aspect ratio. Calibrated pitch is 3um with a non-calibrated step height of 1um. Chip size is 5x5x0.3mm with an active area of 1x1mm. Supplied either unmounted or mounted on a 12mm AFM disc.

TGF11 AFM calibration gratings

TGF11 AFM calibration gratings exhibit a one-dimensional arrays of trapezoid steps. These steps are etched into a silicon substrate along the (111) planes in mono-crystalline silicon. The result is a planar structure with smooth sidewalls on the trapezoid at an angle of 54.74°. The TGF11 grating is useful for assessment of scanner non-linearity in the vertical direction. Calibration of the lateral force can be obtained by analyzing the contact response on the flat and sloped planes. Calibrated pitch is 10um with a non-calibrated step height of 1.75um. Chip size is 5x5x0.3mm with an active area of 3x3mm. Supplied either unmounted or mounted on a 12mm AFM disc.