A novel two-axis parallel-kinematic high-speed piezoelectric scanner for atomic force microscopy

High-speed atomic force microscopy permits the capture of static, as well as the dynamic, processes present in various physical phenomena. Unlike visualizing static processes, capture of dynamic processes requires high-speed scanning in all three dimensions. Despite the recent increased interest in high-speed atomic force microscopy, relatively few reports concerning piezoelectric actuator-driven scanners for high-speed scanning have been published. In this paper, we propose a novel design for a high-speed two-dimensional piezoelectric scanner unit by combining the positive features developed from works published in the literature. The proposed design ensures high vertical stiffness by utilizing compliant double-hinged flexure that minimizes cross-coupling and parasitic motions. Any high-speed scanner design requires a compromise between the two main competing parameters: maximum scan size and speed. The performance of the proposed scanner was evaluated by using numerical simulations with finite element analyses in terms of the mechanical resonance frequencies and the scan range. Finally, the results from the numerical simulations are compared with the experimental measurements.