Active vibration control and actuation of a small cantilever for applications in scanning probe instruments

The deflection control of a small cantilever is described, which operates using a single active piezoelectric element and optical vibration sensing, so that unwanted vibrations in the cantilever are removed, and yet it remains possible to deflect the cantilever statically or dynamically as required. Such a control system is directly applicable to the very small cantilevers found in scanning probe microscopes, such as atomic force and magnetic force microscopes, the resolution of which is limited by unwanted vibration.