Building “Macro” Atomic Force Microscopy

For High School Classrooms

Paul Fedoroff and Tom Pittman
Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School, Burnt Hills, NY 12027

and

Chang Y. Ryu and Linda Schadler

Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180

This report includes (1) a detailed list of parts and (2) step-by-step
instructions to build a Macro-Atomic Force Microscopy (“Macro-AFM”).
In addition, (3) the instructions are shown to make sample blocks for tapping
AFM and magnetic AFM experiments using the Macro-AFM. By using the
components and apparatus commonly available in high school physics
laboratory, we have developed the Macro-AFM that could be used in high
school physics and technology classrooms.

This work is supported by NSF NSEC Outreach Program “Bringing

Nanotechnology to the Classroom” at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

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Macro-AFM

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 Materials List
Part Size Material

Base 16” x 14” x 3/4” Plywood

Tower 5” x 3 ½” x 1 ½” Pine
Back 16” x 14” x ¼” Plywood
Bracket 20” x 2” x 1/8” Aluminum
Recording Surface 16” x 14” x 1/8” Plexiglass
x-y surface 14” x 8 ½” x 1/8” Plexiglass
Recording Graph 16” x 12” Graph Paper
x-y graph 11” x 8 ½” Graph Paper
Hacksaw Blade 12” Steel
Dowel Pin ½” diameter x 1” Steel
(2) Sample 3 ½” x 3 ½” x 1 ½” Pine
(4) #4 Sheet metal screws ½”
(2) #8 Sheet metal screws ¾”
(2) #10 Sheet metal screws 1”
(2) Decking screws 2 ½”
(3) #10 sheet metal screws 1 ½”
(4) 10-28 bolts ½”
(4) 10-28 nuts

Approximate Material Costs: $20 - $25

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Base

1. Cut 16” x 14” plywood base, ¾” minimum thickness recommended.

2. Cut 14” x 8 ½” x 1/8” Plexiglass
3. Glue 8 ½” x 11” graph paper to base
4. Attach Plexiglass to base with four #4 sheet metal screws
5. Locate dowel position 5 1/2” from end and 7” from side
6. Drill ½” diameter hole, ½” deep at this location
7. Install 1” long ½” diameter dowel pin

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Tower

1. Cut 5” long piece of 2 x 4 (5” x 1 ½” x 3 ½”)

2. Attach to base, flush with rear and centered from sides with two decking screws
from the bottom

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Cantilever

1. Punch one 1/8” diameter hole, 2 ½” from one end hole of hacksaw blade

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Cantilever Installation

1. Attach blade to tower with two #8 sheet metal screws

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Bracket

1. Cut 20” x 2” x 1/8” piece of available metal (Aluminum was used in this case)
2. Measure 12” and bend to a 45 degree angle
3. Bend a 90 degree lip at the end of the 7” section

*This bracket is designed for use with a He-Ne LASER that is 7” x 2 ½” x 2”

Different dimensions and materials can be used to hold the specific LASER source
(or pointer) available

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Bracket Installation

1. Drill two holes and screw to back of tower using two #10 x 1” sheet metal screws

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Backing

1. Cut 16” x 14” x ¼” plywood

2. Cut 16” x 14” x 1/8” Plexiglass
3. Glue 16” 12” graph paper to plywood
4. Attach Plexiglass with four 10-28 nuts and bolts

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Backing Installation

1. Carefully drill three holes through Plexiglass and plywood

2. Attach back to base with three #10 x 1 ½” sheet metal screws

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Magnetic Mode Sample

BOTTOM VIEW

TOP VIEW

1. Cut a 3 ½” long piece of 2 x 4 (3 1/2” x 3 ½” x 1 ½”)

2. Drill ½” diameter holes in, but not through it. These are for imbedding the
magnets. (This sample has four holes, with two different depths)

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Contact and Tapping Mode Sample

SIDE VIEW

TOP VIEW

1. Again, cut a 3 ½” long piece of 2 x 4 (3 1/2” x 3 ½” x 1 ½”)

2. Cut a 1 ½” wide groove in one side, approximately 3/16” deep.
3. On the other side, scrape, carve, or mill any surface differences you would like to
analyze. The sample that was made had the letters “RPI” milled into the top using
a ¼” bit, again at different depths.

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