Operating+the+STM

__ How to use the STM equipment __ 1.) The scope when it is not in use rests on a cylindrical piece of brass; before you scan you must remove the brass cylinder and allow for the scope to hang freely. Whenever you switch out tips and/or change the sample you must put the scope back on the brass block. First, in order to start up the scope you must turn on the hardware before the computer. If you turn on the computer first the program XPM Pro often times does not work properly.

2.) Second, while the hardware is warming up I take this time to put in a new tip and switch out the sample from the day before. I also align the laser, making sure to never shoot the sample before I begin scanning. 3.) After putting in the new sample and changing the tip I then start up the program XPM Pro and I go to scan on the toolbar, then settings, then save, then I reset the date to the current date (all scans are labeled according to month, date, year then two zeros followed by what scan it is: 11120900AA- November 12, 2009 first scan). I make sure that all of the dials on the hardware are set on what they should be. The dials should be on the following numbers: X-offset: 5 Y-offset: 5 Coarse adjustment: 5 Slope correction X: 5 Slope correction Y: 5 X & Y scan range should be set on 10 Z position when using the laser should be set on 1 to allow the largest expansion of the gold. Gain is usually set on 200 Setpoint should be on 2

4.) M ake sure that the box which has the switch for the laser is connected to the system. It connects under Aux input 4 and I have to go under scan then over to input and check off the box which says Aux 4. This allows me to look at exactly when I turned the laser on and when I turned the laser off and compare that to the image.

5.) Next I must approach the tip to the sample first using a handheld remote and getting the tip as close to the surface as I can without crashing. Once I have approached it with my naked eye I click the approach button on the program and it begins to approach. 6.) Once the tip has approached I then commence scanning. If the tip crashes at first I pull the tip back a little bit, move it away from the place it crashed, using the X & Y offsets, I then click approach again.  7.) During scanning, in order to run a single line scan I have to go to scan on the toolbar, then settings, then I check the box next to slow scan disabled and click the apply button, then okay. This then makes it so it scans the same line over and over again, which I do sometimes when I shoot the laser. When I have the system set on single line scan I look at the scans afterward using data analysis. I right click on the image then I click section view. I click on the image and then pull down across it and click the section button. This gives me a graph of the expansion of the gold.