Evaluation of a vertical piezoelectric transducer stage using a large range metrological atomic force microscope

A method is described for the calibration of vertical piezoelectric transducer (PZT) stages using a large range metrological atomic force microscope (LRM-AFM). A vertical PZT stage is mounted onto the system and an optical-flat sample is attached on the top of the PZT stage. The AFM probe is operated in contact mode and used as a null indicator to measure the movement of the optical-flat as it is driven by the PZT stage. As the PZT stage is scanned vertically, the AFM probe is in contact with the test surface without lateral scanning. The displacement of the vertical stage of the LRM-AFM is measured by the integrated laser interferometer, and the corresponding laser interferometer readings and the nominal position of the PZT stage are recorded. This body of data is then used to establish the relationship between the laser interferometer reading and the nominal displacement of the PZT stage. Our results show that this method can be used to calibrate PZT stages up to a range of 250 mu m with an expanded uncertainty of less than 5 nm. (C) 2012 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). [DOI: 10.1117/1.JMM.11.1.011005]