A team of researchers have created a new Atomic Force Microscope with the help of Analog Devices electronics. In particular, they measure the tiny currents produced by the piezoelectric effect with a transimpedance amplifier, which consists into a current-to-voltage converter. The work entitles “Piezo-generated charge mapping revealed through direct piezoelectric force microscopy” published in the prestigious scientific journal Nature Communications.
The amplifier required to measure such tiny currents is only offered by Analog Devices Inc, with part number ADA4530. Such component consists of a Femtoampere Input Bias Current Electrometer Amplifier populated with a 1 TeraOhm resistor as a feedback resistor in a transimpedance configuration. Throughout the measurements, reducing the ambient humidity of the electronics box was a key factor, while working at the maximum allowed bias was intended to diminish the ultra-low input bias current of the ADA4530. An additional voltage amplifier, with the inverting amplifier topology, is located at the output of the transimpedance, using an ADI AD8429. With such tandem of amplifiers, researchers were capable of measuring the generated charge of several piezoelectric materials directly.
Source: ICMAB
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