Park NX20 is a flagship atomic force microscope (AFM) designed for large-sample research, delivering unmatched accuracy, reliability, and ease of use. As Park Systems’ original 200 mm sample AFM, it has earned global recognition in both academic and industrial laboratories for producing precise, repeatable nanoscale measurements.
At the core of NX20 are Park Systems’ proprietary orthogonal scan system and True Non-contact™ mode, innovations that virtually eliminate lateral motion artifacts while protecting both tip and sample. Together, these technologies ensure artifact-free, high-resolution imaging even for the most delicate or challenging samples.
From materials science and semiconductors to polymers and bioengineering, NX20 delivers robust performance and dependable results, making it a trusted platform for advanced nanoscale metrology.
Key Features
Outstanding NX Mechanical Design
The NX20 features a direct on-axis optical microscope with integrated LED illumination, providing real-time vision of both the probe and sample. A vertically aligned, motorized Z stage and focus stage—software-controlled for automatic tip-to-sample approach—ensure precision and ease of use. The slide-to-connect AFM head with dove-tail rail allows quick setup, while an expansion slot supports advanced AFM modes and options. A motorized XY sample stage enables convenient navigation and sequential measurements across multiple coordinates, with a fine step resolution of 0.6 μm.
Fast Z Servo and High Resolution
The resolution of the images in Park NX series has been further enhanced. The NX Z scanner, built with a stacked piezo actuator and a strain gauge sensor, delivers fast and precise measurements across a wide range of surfaces. From extremely flat to rough samples, it maintains consistent roughness linearity regardless of scan size, ensuring reliable results in any measurement.
NX Laser Beam Path
The NX head integrates a superluminescent diode that provides low coherence illumination, minimizing interference for stable signal detection. The laser beam is guided through precision mirrors to the cantilever and position-sensitive photodetector (PSPD), ensuring accurate signal alignment.
The knobs move the laser beam directly along the X and Y axes, allowing intuitive adjustment of the beam position and effortless realignment during probe replacement.
Pre-Mounted Probe
AFM probe exchange can be challenging, even for experienced users, often resulting in cantilever breakage. Park AFM addresses this by using pre-aligned probe chip carriers with kinematic mounting points, ensuring reliable and consistent tip positioning.
The NX head Z scanner features three precision balls for kinematic mounting, complemented by magnets at the base to ensure a secure, reliable, and repeatable mounting position.
Improved Z Scan Straightness
Park NX series Z scanner maintains straightness within 0.1% across the usable range, with out-of-axis motion under 5 nm even at a full 15 µm extension.
Its compact assembly, combining a preload spring, kinematic pin, and piezo actuator, minimizes drift and ensures accurate vertical motion for reliable, distortion-free nanoscale measurements.
Simple Expansion Slot for Modes and Options
Simply plug an option module into the expansion slot to enable advanced AFM modes. Park NX series AFM features a modular design, ensuring compatibility with options across its product line.
On-Axis Optical Microscope
The high-power on-axis optical microscope provides a clear view of the sample surface. A software-controlled LED light source illuminates the sample surface for better observation.
Park AFM Technology
Orthogonal Scan System
Conventional AFMs with tube scanners suffer from out-of-plane motion and axes crosstalk, resulting in image distortion, especially over large scan areas. NX20, like all Park AFMs, employs an advanced orthogonal scan system featuring a flexure-guided architecture: a 2D flexure scanner moves the sample in the XY plane, while a separate 1D flexure scanner independently controls the probe’s Z-axis motion. This separated scanner system ensures highly orthogonal, linear scans with minimal out-of-plane motion and fast dynamic performance.
For large samples, a single-servo XY scan architecture can be vulnerable to the rotational motion of the sample chuck. This rotational motion can introduce positioning errors that increase with distance from the position sensor.
NX20 resolves this issue with a dual-servo XY scanner architecture, with two pairs of actuators and position sensors mounted on opposite sides of each axis. All four actuators are controlled independently to ensure accurate positioning across the entire 200 × 200 mm² sample area.
Park AFM Technology
True Non-Contact™ Mode
NX20 features True Non-contact™ mode, a proprietary technology exclusively offered by Park Systems. True Non-contact mode obtains topography by detecting the attractive van der Waals force between the AFM tip and the sample surface.
