High-Vacuum AFM: Park NX-Hivac
Park NX-Hivac is a high-vacuum atomic force microscope for advanced semiconductor and materials research, enabling precise nanoscale analysis of air-sensitive samples. Clean, stable measurement conditions at 10⁻⁵ Torr reveal properties not achievable under ambient conditions.
Manufacturer: Park Systems — South Korea
Overview
Park NX-Hivac is a high-vacuum atomic force microscope engineered for advanced semiconductor and materials research, enabling precise nanoscale analysis of air-sensitive samples. By providing clean and stable measurement conditions, it has established itself as a trusted platform for failure analysis in both academic and industrial laboratories, characterizing topographical, mechanical, and electrical properties not achievable under ambient or dry nitrogen conditions.
High-Vacuum Control
The chamber reaches a vacuum level of 10⁻⁵ Torr in less than five minutes, with an internal volume of 325 mm × 420 mm × 320 mm. Chamber materials are optimized to minimize outgassing under high vacuum, reducing pump-down time and maintaining a stable environment for consistent measurement performance.
Hivac Manager
Park Hivac Manager streamlines vacuum operation into a fast, effortless process with one-click pumping and venting. The software visualizes each step of the sequence and automates the workflow, reducing operator workload and improving overall efficiency.
Motorized Photodetector Alignment
A superluminescent diode provides low-coherence illumination that minimizes optical interference and enhances image clarity, with precise beam positioning through direct X-Y alignment knobs. Conveniently, the PSPD A-B axis alignment can be performed under vacuum without opening the chamber.
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 NX-Hivac
| Specification | Park NX-Hivac |
|---|---|
| Sample Size | 50 mm × 50 mm; thickness up to 20 mm |
| XY Scan Range | 50 µm, 100 µm (optional) |
| Z Scan Range | 15 µm |
| XY Working Range | 22 mm × 22 mm |
| XY Sample Stage | Motorized |
| Digital Lock-in Amplifier | 4 channels |
| Measurement Capabilities | Topography, nanomechanical, and magnetic properties (standard); electrical and thermal (optional) – including SSRM and SCM under high vacuum for semiconductor failure analysis |
| Vacuum Level | 10⁻⁵ Torr, reached in less than 5 minutes; automatic vacuum pumping and venting |
| Chamber | Internal volume 325 mm × 420 mm × 320 mm; low-outgassing materials |
| Vacuum Operation | Park Hivac Manager: one-click pumping and venting with automated, visualized sequence |
| Detection | SLD low-coherence illumination; PSPD A-B alignment possible under vacuum without opening the chamber |
| Scan System | Orthogonal scan system: flexure-guided 2D XY scanner (sample) and independent 1D Z scanner (probe); closed-loop servo control |
| Imaging Mode | True Non-Contact™ mode (Park proprietary) plus standard AFM imaging and property-mapping modes |
| Z Scanner | Stacked piezo actuator with strain gauge sensor; straightness within 0.1%; out-of-axis motion under 5 nm at full 15 µm extension |
| Software | Park SmartScan™ operating software; Park SmartAnalysis™ image analysis software |