Design and test of a compact flexure z-stage for atomic force microscopy

We describe the design and test of a flexure z-stage with 12.5 mm height and 4 μm travel to be coupled with a commercial xy stage. The geometrical model was simulated by means of finite element calculations which have provided an accurate description of the stage dynamics also taking into account the effect of a load to get a resonance frequency of 8 kHz with a 10 g load. The tests of the complete xyz stage were performed in intermittent-contact mode on a sample having periodic features (1.6 μm period, 100 nm height) and with additional loads to increase the mass up to 20 g. The results show that for a 10 g load the surface profiles are well reproduced up to 60 μm/ s while with a 20 g sample the speed is reduced to 40 μm/ s.