Here’s the latest:
I’m working to get the STM working as fast as possible, but it’s not 100% – I’ve got basic functionality tested and working, but no images yet – I’m hoping to have images within a month or so.
Current work:
- A new scanning head
- Complete the mechanical supports and approach mechanism (current state photo of the mechanicals, above)
- Programming the arduino and the python script that gathers the image data
- Final electronics testing
- Getting everything prepared for air flight (expect a post in the near future on preparing electronics for TSA inspection)
Here is a video of my latest tests – the digital side talking to the analog side and driving the scanning head (faintly):
If that’s not enough for you, here is some good background info to read about STMs:
Introduction to Scanning Probe Microscopy
Wikipedia Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) article
And you may be interested in the ChemHacker youtube channel. It’s a bit sparse now, but keep an eye out for updates as this project proceeds.
I was just wondering if open source distributed software couldn’t be used to replace the often expensive support hardaware found on commerical ones. by using the power of mutltiple computers ? it coud be a kind of frameork with digital hardaware wich would allow for multiple open source/hardaware projects…
Hi Floris,
Thanks for the suggestion!
My understanding of distributed computing is vague at best.
However, at first glance, it looks like overkill – my plan is to have an arduino and a few inexpensive microchips handle those tasks. The arduino is mostly just setting the X and Y coordinates, reading the Z coordinate, and then sending all three back to the computer via USB.
Basically: the hardware I’m replacing isn’t doing much computation.
Is there something I’m not understanding? Again, my knowledge of that field is not very deep.
S