Damping mechanisms for precision applications in UHV environment | NIST

Surface analysis techniques based on a probe located with high precision such as the approaches with scanning tunneling microscopes (STM) and atomic force microscopes (AFM) have undergone significant advances and revolutionized the study of surfaces and nanometer size objects. For surface stability purposes, these experiments are often carried out in ultra high vacuum (UHV) conditions where the pressure ranges between 10 Pa and 10 Pa. The performance of these instruments is affected by external vibrations, so effective damping of the instrument is vital. In this article, we review some of the isolation methods such as active and passive damping and study the viability of these methods in a UHV environment. Finally, the application of some of these damping mechanisms for a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) that is currently being built and tested at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is discussed.