Atomic force microscope detector drift compensation by correlation of similar traces acquired at different setpoints

The atomic force microscope measures surface topography by maintaining a certain cantilever deflection or vibration amplitude as the cantilever is scanned over a sample surface. The desired cantilever deflection or amplitude is referred to as the setpoint, and is maintained by moving the sample toward or away from the cantilever. The signal from the cantilever deflection detector has a real component, due to cantilever deflection, and a drift component due to various sources of drift. We present a method of eliminating the drift component by sensing and correcting it in real time. Our method involves automatically changing the setpoint so as to maintain a certain set difference in the relative feature richness of two traces taken with slightly offset setpoints. We show how the system maintains a setpoint only 70 mV above minimum, perturb it with a gentle blow of air that causes 200 mV of detector drift, and observe its recovery within 13+-6 s. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.