1. A virtual instrument to standardise the calibration of atomic force microscope cantilevers
- Author
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Riccardo Borgani, Michael J. Higgins, Heyou Zhang, Per-Anders Thorén, Hongrui Zhang, Paul Mulvaney, David B. Haviland, Ashley D. Slattery, John E. Sader, Cameron J. Shearer, Jianing Lu, Tian Zheng, Jason I. Kilpatrick, Jim Tran, Christopher T. Gibson, Sader, John E, Borgani, Riccardo, Gibson, Christopher T, Haviland, David B, Higgins, Michael J, Kilpatrick, Jason I, Lu, Jianing, Mulvaney, Paul, Shearer, Cameron J, Slattery, Ashley D, Thoren, Per-Anders, Tran, Jim, Zhang, Heyou, Zhang, Hongrui, and Zheng, Tian
- Subjects
010302 applied physics ,Data processing ,Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors ,Microscope ,Cantilever ,Condensed Matter - Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics ,Virtual instrumentation ,Atomic force microscopy ,Instrumentation ,FOS: Physical sciences ,Instrumentation and Detectors (physics.ins-det) ,02 engineering and technology ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,01 natural sciences ,law.invention ,Upload ,law ,Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics (cond-mat.mes-hall) ,0103 physical sciences ,Calibration ,0210 nano-technology ,Simulation - Abstract
Atomic force microscope (AFM) users often calibrate the spring constants of cantilevers using functionality built into individual instruments. This is performed without reference to a global standard, which hinders robust comparison of force measurements reported by different laboratories. In this article, we describe a virtual instrument (an internet-based initiative) whereby users from all laboratories can instantly and quantitatively compare their calibration measurements to those of others - standardising AFM force measurements - and simultaneously enabling non-invasive calibration of AFM cantilevers of any geometry. This global calibration initiative requires no additional instrumentation or data processing on the part of the user. It utilises a single website where users upload currently available data. A proof-of-principle demonstration of this initiative is presented using measured data from five independent laboratories across three countries, which also allows for an assessment of current calibration., 34 pages, 14 figures
- Published
- 2016