NIST has released a new standard reference material (SRM) 3461 for calibrating atomic force microscopy (AFM) cantilevers. The SRM contains seven silicon microfabricated cantilevers of varying lengths and stiffness, providing a precise and accurate calibration artifact for AFM force measurements.
Key features of SRM 3461:
– Seven uniform cantilevers with varying lengths and stiffness
– Suitable for both validating stiffness measurement methods and directly calibrating AFM cantilevers
– Packaged in a protective enclosure with removable top
– Microfabricated, packaged, and calibrated in a clean room environment
The SRM is intended to address the current limitations of available calibration techniques, which have uncertainties ranging from ±10% to ±30%. By providing a more accurate and precise calibration artifact, SRM 3461 aims to improve the reliability and reproducibility of AFM force measurements across various applications.
Keywords: Calibration, Cantilevers, Metrology, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Reference Material
