A new high‐resolution two‐dimensional micropositioning device for scanning probe microscopy applications

We report on the development of a new two‐dimensional micropositioning device, or walker, which is capable of moving across very large distances (in principle unlimited) and with a very small step size (as small as 100 Å/step) in both directions. Based on a unique tracking design, the motion is extremely orthogonal with very little crosstalk between the two directions. Additionally, there is no detectable backlash in either direction. The walker performance has been extensively tested by using a position‐sensitive proximitor probe. Tests have been done between 77 and 300 K. However, we project that the walker will be able to operate at temperatures as low as 4 K. This walker system has shown extremely reliable performance in a UHV environment for use with scanning tunneling microscopy and has been especially useful for cross‐sectional scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy studies of semiconductor hetero‐ and homostructures. We show one example of results on the (AlGa)As/GaAs heterostructure system.