Bartosz Pruchnik1, Fabian Dietrich2, Richard Subianto2, Katerina Ivanova2, Athulya K. Muraleedharan Bindu2, Hans-Georg Pietscher2, Javad Basseri2, Muralikrishnan Brajesh Kaimal2, Władysław Kopczyński1, Wojciech Godlewski1, Dominik Badura1, Piotr Putek1, Krzysztof Kwoka1, Piotr Smagowski1, Andrew Yacoot3, Tomasz Piasecki1, Fangzhou Xia4, Ivo W. Rangelow2
Active Cantilever with Dual Actuator
52nd International Micro and Nano Engineering Conference
Sep. 21-24, 2026 Interlaken (CH)
MEN2026 Poster S05A-T2-P-5
1. Wrocław University of Science and Technology,
2. nano analytik GmbH,
3. National Physical Laboratory
4. University of Texas at Austin
Abstract: Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) is often limited by the speed and bandwidth of three main components: the cantilever, the scanner, and the controller. Recent microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have improved the performance of the cantilever and scanner by combining high-speed active cantilevers with low-latency scanners. In this work, we present a standardized active cantilever design. The system combines a large cantilever that acts as a Z-axis actuator with a smaller active cantilever sensor that provides a bandwidth greater than 400kHz. The smaller cantilever is integrated into the larger structure, creating a compact and highly responsive device. We introduce a new active cantilever architecture that uses two integrated electrothermal actuators. One actuator is used for cantilever operation, while the second provides vertical (Z-axis) movement for surface tracking. This design allows AFM measurements to be performed without the need for an external piezoelectric z-actuator.
Acknowledgements: This work was supported by the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation program under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 101072775, and by the National Science Centre, Poland (grant No. 2021/41/B/ST7/03144).
