Stage: An AFM stage is where the sample is placed when an image is measured. Typically, the AFM stage includes an AFM scanner and an optical microscope along with motion control systems for moving the scanner relative to a sample in the X-Y-Z axis.

An AFM may be constructed for laboratory use and easily fit on a table top; it may also be constructed to accommodate large samples such as semiconductor wafers. An AFM capable of holding wafers can be large and have a volume of several cubic meters. Regardless of the size of the AFM, they all have the similar components. Often the electronics are separated from the stage because fans used to cool the electronics cause unwanted vibrations in the stage the reduce the resolution of the AFM.

2.1 Basic Concepts

Piezoelectric materials are electromechanical transducers that convert electrical potential into mechanical motion. Piezoelectric materials are naturally occurring and may be crystalline, amorphous or even polymeric.When a potential is applied across two opposite sides of the piezoelectric, it changes geometry. The magnitude of the dimensional changes depends on the material, the geometry of the device, and the magnitude of the applied voltage.