A compact inertial nano-positioner operating at cryogenic temperatures

Abstract

Nano-positioning plays a very important role in applications such as scanning probe microscopy and optics. We report the development of a compact inertial nanopositioner along with fully computer interfaced electronics operating down to 2 K, and its use in our fully automated needle-anvil type Point Contact Andreev Reflection (PCAR) apparatus. We also present the fully automated operational procedures using LabVIEW interface with our home-built electronics. The point contact spectroscopy probe has been successfully used to perform PCAR measurements on elemental superconductors at low temperatures. The small footprint of our nano-positioner makes it ideally suited for incorporation in low temperature scanning probe microscopes and makes this design versatile for various research and industrial purposes.