Dec. 15, 2006 — Nanoscience Instruments of Phoenix announced the release of the Nanosurf Nanite automated AFM, a new easy to use AFM designed to provide true walk away time.

The Nanite’s batch programming, scripting capability and motorized X/Y/Z stage make it possible for users to prepare a series of routine measurements and leave the microscope to measure on its own — whether a process requires nanoscale measurements at random points on a large surface, or on multiple samples in a reproducible location.

The compact Nanite is made by Swiss-based Nanosurf AG and is designed for use in a variety of nanoscale surface analysis applications ranging from coatings, polymers, fabrics, and fibers to semiconductors, wafers, optical and holographic surfaces, and data storage.

The company says it also has many benefits that facilitate AFM experiments. For example, the process of mounting an AFM probe is both quick and easy. The Nanite also features pre-aligned optics – which completely eliminates the need to manually align the laser and detector. To help simplify the task of positioning the AFM probe on the sample surface, the Nanite incorporates an on-board video camera which observes the AFM probe and sample from above and also from the side.

The Nanite is designed with a compact, removable scanner that incorporates a highly accurate, quick-release mount for easy adaptation to other surface analysis instruments. The patented electromagnetic scanner is intended to guarantee precise and highly linear movement for reliable quality control measurements and statistical analysis. Additionally, the Nanite’s integrated Nanosurf Report software auto-generates professional reports for quick, efficient evaluation and comparison of roughness, particle count and size distribution, and step heights.