Large Sample AFM: Park FX200

Overview

Park FX200 is Park Systems' latest innovation in atomic force microscopy, designed to accommodate samples up to 200 mm. With a low noise floor, minimal thermal drift, and enhanced mechanical stability, the FX200 delivers unmatched precision and reliability for both research and industrial settings. Automated scan parameter optimization, optical autofocus, sequential measurements across multiple positions, and powerful data analysis tools simplify even the most complex workflows.

Superior FX Mechanical Design

The optical microscope is decoupled from the Z stage, reducing susceptibility to mechanical disturbances, while the Z stage is built with a high-stiffness cross-roller guide and two bearing blocks. A wide trapezoidal strut reinforces mechanical rigidity, and expansion-matched materials with low thermal expansion coefficients mitigate thermal drift.

Automatic Laser Beam Alignment and Probe Exchange

The vision-guided alignment system detects the cantilever, aligns it at the center of the field of view, and steers the laser beam onto the position-sensitive photodetector automatically. The automatic tip exchanger (ATX) stores up to 16 pre-mounted probes on QR-coded chip carriers with kinematic mounting, so probe exchange takes a mouse click instead of a delicate manual operation.

Full 200 mm Sample-View Camera

With the macro image of the sample chuck captured by the sample-view camera, users point and click on the sample view to move the XY stage to the desired location – making it easy to locate areas of interest and return to the same spot, even on a full 200 mm wafer.

Orthogonal Scan System and True Non-Contact™ Mode

Conventional AFMs with tube scanners suffer from out-of-plane motion and axes crosstalk, resulting in image distortion, especially over large scan areas. Like all Park AFMs, this system employs an advanced orthogonal scan system with a flexure-guided architecture: a 2D flexure scanner moves the sample in the XY plane, while a separate 1D flexure scanner independently controls the probe's Z-axis motion. This separated scanner design ensures highly orthogonal, linear scans with minimal out-of-plane motion, and closed-loop servo control with low-noise sensors delivers precise, repeatable scanning across all axes.

True Non-Contact™ mode is a proprietary technology exclusively offered by Park Systems. It obtains topography by detecting the attractive van der Waals force between the AFM tip and the sample surface, preventing destructive tip-sample interaction during the scan. The result is high-resolution, accurate data with prolonged tip life and preserved sample integrity – even on the most delicate or fragile samples.

Software

Park SmartScan™ is an advanced AFM operating software featuring an elegant, intuitive interface and powerful features designed for superior image quality and an enhanced user experience. Park SmartAnalysis™ complements it with fast image processing, comprehensive data analysis, and efficient result publication.

Specifications for Park FX200