| Abstract: | This article compares the imaging performance of non‐traditional scanning patterns for scanning probe microscopy including sinusoidal raster, spiral, and Lissajous patterns. The metrics under consideration include the probe velocity, scanning frequency, and required sampling rate. The probe velocity is investigated in detail as this quantity is proportional to the required bandwidth of the vertical feedback loop and has a major impact on image quality. By considering a sample with an impulsive Fourier transform, the effect of scanning trajectories on imaging quality can be observed and quantified. The non‐linear trajectories are found to spread the topography signal bandwidth which has important implications for both low and high‐speed imaging. These effects are studied analytically and demonstrated experimentally with a periodic calibration grating. |
