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Abstract

A scanning tunneling microscope with a stage capable of coarse motion in the horizontal (or X Y) plane and also capable of fine or scanning motion in the X, Y and Z directions. The stage comprises a square array of nine blocks connected by twelve PZTs, with clamping feet on the four corner blocks. The clamping feet can be electrically clamped to a horizontal surface. The underside of the center block holds the surface to be studied. By selectively clamping pairs of the feet and expanding and contracting groups of the PZts, the stage can be made to walk anywhere on the horizontal surface. A tunneling tip is supported atop a novel vertical crawler which is mounted in a vertical bore in a base unit. The vertical crawler provides coarse Z-axis positioning. Scanning or fine motion is achieved by clamping all four of the stage's feet while groups of the PZTs which connect the blocks are selectively activated.

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First Claim