Logik
Feb4-06, 02:49 PM
Hi, for my integration class I am building a scanning tunnelling microscope (STM). I found some interesting designs and I choose the cheapest one (students are poor) witch uses a unimorph disk. The mechanical approach of the microscope is fairly simple but I am sure it could be improve. I am no way near an engineer as I'm still in CEGEP (witch is grade 13 equivalent) so I need help and suggestions.
Here is the design I am planning to reproduce: http://www.geocities.com/spm_stm/Mechanical_discription.html.
Basically it's 2 aluminium plates with tree screws that control the height of the tip.
So my questions are:
Is aluminium good for this or is there other material better to reduce resonance.
Would a design with two or four screws be easier to adjust height?
Would it be easier to use motors to control the screws and if so how?
To reduce vibration I plan to suspend the rig on springs and a heavy weight, is that going to be enough?
Should I put the rig inside a glass shield to reduce air vibration?
If you have any other suggestions don't be shy, I am opened to anything. Also don't be scared of being too technical, I will figure it out or read around to understand it.
Thank you in advance.
P.S. I will also post in the electrical engineering section and in quantum physics one for other questions. So if you are interested about other part or have a lot of knowledge on STM's you can go to the two other threads.
Electrical engineering (http://physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=109375)
Quantum physics (http://physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=109377)
Here is the design I am planning to reproduce: http://www.geocities.com/spm_stm/Mechanical_discription.html.
Basically it's 2 aluminium plates with tree screws that control the height of the tip.
So my questions are:
Is aluminium good for this or is there other material better to reduce resonance.
Would a design with two or four screws be easier to adjust height?
Would it be easier to use motors to control the screws and if so how?
To reduce vibration I plan to suspend the rig on springs and a heavy weight, is that going to be enough?
Should I put the rig inside a glass shield to reduce air vibration?
If you have any other suggestions don't be shy, I am opened to anything. Also don't be scared of being too technical, I will figure it out or read around to understand it.
Thank you in advance.
P.S. I will also post in the electrical engineering section and in quantum physics one for other questions. So if you are interested about other part or have a lot of knowledge on STM's you can go to the two other threads.
Electrical engineering (http://physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=109375)
Quantum physics (http://physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=109377)