User`s guide

Preparing for Imaging 4
Agilent 5500 SPM User’s Guide 90
Care and Handling of the Probes and Scanner
Probes
Always store probes at room temperature in their protective cases.
Handle probes gently with tweezers, following the procedures described
earlier in this chapter.
If a probe is dropped it may very well be damaged. You can check
whether the cantilever is intact by viewing it through a magnifier.
If you are using more than one type of probe, be sure to store them
separately in well-marked cases to avoid confusion.
Nose Assembly
Store nose assemblies in a clean, dry location where they will not be
subject to excessive humidity, temperature changes or contact.
Dirt, grease or spots on the glass window of the nose assembly can
interfere with the optical path of the laser. Regularly clean the window
with cotton or a soft tissue (dry, wetted with water, or with ethanol).
The glass is glued to the nose cone with chemically resistive epoxy, so if
the window breaks there is no easy way to replace it and the entire nose
assembly will likely need to be replaced.
Only remove the nose assembly from the scanner using the Nose
Assembly Removal Tool, with the scanner placed upright in its fixture.
Do NOT use the removal tool to install the nose assembly.
Two-Piece Nose Cone Cleaning
The two-piece nose cone is not to be used in liquid because it does not
have a glass window to prevent liquid from getting to the scanner. After
it is removed from a scanner, the two-piece nose cone may be cleaned
with a low oxidizing organic solvent such as ethyl alcohol.
Scanner
Between uses, remove the scanner from the microscope and store it on
its fixture or in the storage case, in a location where it will not be subject