NEW R9plus Family Overview
R9plus: Ultimate SPM Control
R9plus BUILT for a PURPOSE: Your Research, Your Success When you are pioneering the frontiers of Nanoscience, you can count on RHK’s new R9plus SPM Controller to lead the way. Its remarkable advancements originate from direct user feedback, RHK’s Technical Advisory Board, and our own top scientists.
Explore with Confidence With the plus Advantage, no Controller is better equipped or more capable to take on any research challenges you face.
History behind R9plus RHK’s original R9 brought great new capabilities and fresh thinking to the SPM field worldwide. It even forced design re-thinking in our competitors’ systems. Although they tried to catch up, they couldn’t match up to R9. Meanwhile, our continuous improvement process evolved R9 well beyond our prior breakthroughs and achievements. With so many new capabilities and ever-improved, ever-expanding firmware, a new model emerged. This is R9plus. While we pledge our continued support for existing R9 units and customers, we proudly announce our new R9 successor: R9plus. With R9plus, RHK sets the standard as the Innovation Leader for SPM Control. Over 1,000 RHK original “Blue Box” Controllers were installed worldwide. Then we revolutionized the field with R9 integrated Controllers. More than 225 R9s are producing published results today. Now, RHK surpasses the market yet again with R9plus. Uniquely integrated into one box, R9plus unites near-limitless flexibility and power with thoughtfully designed single-click simplicity and rock-solid stability. R9plus’s refined and expanded firmware, software, and even further improved analog circuitry give you highest performance and confident command. Only from RHK – The Innovation Leader
How did we make the Revolutionary R9plus SPM Controller even better?
R9plus: 2nd Generation Refined Electronics, even quieter and faster performance, and uniquely advanced plus-capabilities:
- Native 64-Bit Application for greater stability, higher speed operation, and unlimited data arrays for advanced spectroscopy measurements.
- Dual-Probe Scan Control with dual scan area windows: Enables 1 controller to operate 2 separate SPMs.
- New FPGA architecture for greatly enhanced configuration flexibility.
- Inventor SDK/IHDL: customize routines; exchange data via LabVIEW VIs, MATLAB, Python, etc.
- More data channels – now over 60 channels available for advanced measurements.
- Zoom FFT for thermal resonance peak detection.
- Data streaming rate 5x faster. High-Speed Scanning 5x faster.
- PerfectSpec™ : Fully customize spectroscopic measurement techniques. Optimize performance for any parameter, e.g., ultimate low noise or high data throughput.
- New Analog Circuitry with 4x lower noise.
- Real-time spectroscopy data slicing can slice through arrays of spectroscopy curves to generate current maps during acquisition.
- Improved Lock-In Amplifiers – now increased demodulation bandwidths up to 100 kHz.
- Non-integer powers of 2 for spec grid: acquire spectroscopic grids of any density, such as 100 x 50 points.
- Up to 6x Lock-In Amplifiers, 2x PLLs.
- Digital filter bandwidths increased to 0.01 Hz to 100 kHz. Bandwidths can be set to any arbitrary value.
- Lock-In Amplifiers and PLLs configurable to operate independently or in series.
- Non-square scans for scanning rectangular images in addition to square images.
- New KPFM with a click: multi-frequency measurements plus added feedback loop for measuring Contact Potential.
- Assignable Monitor DACs: DACs 1 – 4 can be linked to output data from any of the 60 internal signals to interface to external equipment.
- Up to 9 Feedback Loop controllers for multiple probes, KPFM, interferometers, etc.
- Independently assignable Low Voltage Scan DACs, now no longer tied to HV scan DACs.
- Multiple Feedback Loops can be connected in parallel or series.
- New Probe Drive Interface: programmable output voltage range allows optimal probe drive for resonators with Qs from 1 to 1,000,000.
- New, Improved Signal Control Module replaces IVP-R9. Programmable output voltage range provides lower noise for high-resolution spectroscopy without limiting total voltage output range.
Guided by user feedback, R9plus advances even beyond R9 Success
New R9plus.
| Capability | R9plus | |
|---|---|---|
| One Box Integration | PLL, LIA, HV Plus all AM and FM modes including multifrequency and multipass Patented Phase Sync | |
| Multi-speed data path | A revolutionary way to have both high speed (100MHz @16bit) and high precision (25kHz @ 22bit) measurements with perfect synchronization | |
| Probe Guard capabilities | Fast failsafe tip approach (5μs response) Lock Guard (5μs response) Transient Recorder (10ns response) Auto continue scan when back in range Time-Based Data Acquisition ensures all data is captured | |
| Data recording/acquisition | Time-Based Data Acquisition Continuous real-time streaming of measurement data Bandwidth DC-17MHz @ 16bit | |
| Data Guard | dataSAFE records all data in history files. Even in the event of power outage all data is saved and safe | |
| Microscope Diagnostic Tools | Transient Recorder 100MHz acquisition 50MHz FFT Oscilloscope 4 channels @ 50kHz Data Logger continuously record data over long time periods | |
| Fast tip approach | Fast failsafe tip approach (5μs response) Uniques AC capacitance approach reduced tip approach time to ~8 seconds even when 2-3mm away from surface | |
| Spectroscopy capabilities | PerfectSpec and Time Based Data Acquisition guarantees nothing is discarded and no gaps in measurement cycle | |
| LabView integration | Inventor SDK allows LabView communication with R9/R9plus | |
| Easy Upgrade Path | User swappable board upgrade enables advanced firmware | |
| Multifrequency Measurements | Up to 6 lock-ins or 2 PLLs and 4 Lock-ins | |
| Advanced PLL Measurements | 2 PLLs can be linked or completely independent | |
| Ultra low noise HV outputs | Low frequency noise density of High Voltage outputs reduced from 165 (R9) to 42 (R9plus) μV/√Hz (typical) | |
| Improved data transfer speed | Up to 5x faster scan speed | |
| Optional HV amplifiers for up to 8 additional outputs | Control 2 separate scan systems from 1 IHDL file (Ex. Tube scanner plus Stage scanner) | |
| Easy imaging mode switching | Change imaging modes without loading new IHDL file | |
| Surpass 32-bit memory limits | True 64-bit software for collection and processing of larger data sets | |
| Access all I/O signals | Configurable control and routing of 60+ I/O signals |
For more details on the new capabilities and specifications of R9plus, refer to Gallery and download new R9plus brochure
R9plus Family Institutions
Everyday, in universities and government labs around the globe, RHK research platforms lead to new discoveries in nanotechnology.
Founded in 1981, RHK Technology brings over 35 years of experience to the design and manufacture of advanced UHV SPM instruments and control electronics. Our installed base continues to grow and now includes over 175 systems and 1000 controllers.
R9plus Family Testimonials
Don’t just take our word for it — here’s what our customers are saying about RHK
Customer success is the driving reason RHK has been in business since 1981. Everyday, in university and government labs around the globe, RHK research platforms lead to new discoveries in nanotechnology. RHK Technology brings over 25 years of experience to the design and manufacture of advanced UHV SPM instruments. Explore with Confidence.
We really appreciate the strong flexibility of the R9. Our microscopes require very different driving signals.
The R9 can support those requirements easily by simply reorganizing theIHL file. There are so many high voltage output ports. The most important is that all of those outputs are independent. Even for very complicated operation, it is very easy to be realized.
The R9 is a very powerful digital SPM controller.
Very easy to use. When acquiring spectroscopy, a lot of flexibilities with a very precise adjustment of the tunneling junctions.
.. the surprising flexibilities of the R9 IHDL software.
This makes the experiment very flexible. All
the functions we need can be realized by slightly modifying the IHL file.
The R9 controller is working great for us.
The internal lock-in has stability and resolution which is comparable to the industry standard SRS 830 and for us that is a big plus of R9. Another plus of R9 is the convenience of use.
Thanks for being so prompt and continuing to work on this.
You guys are the best company I've interacted with in a long time.
The transient recorder on the approach procedure is great
I was able to see how much feedback leads to ringing the tip against the sample surface in just a couple minutes
I was able to see how much feedback leads to ringing the tip against the sample surface in just a couple minutes, which is exactly what I wanted to know. I’ll try to play with some of the other new things I see in the dashboard over the next couple weeks, but this alone should be a tremendous help in protecting some of our more valuable probes.
I am very happy with R9, “it just worked”.
I got atoms right away, even in ambient conditions
My experience with RHK has been very positive.
Working directly with an RHK engineer, I was able to customize an STM system for the types of experiments that I want to conduct.
Working directly with an RHK engineer, I was able to customize an STM system for the types of experiments that I want to conduct. I appreciate the flexibility on the part of RHK to work within the constraints of my start-up budget, allowing me to begin my experiments with a state-of-the-art STM system with the ability to add capabilities (e.g. vacuum system, cryogenics, etc.) at a later time as funding becomes available. Everyone at RHK has been extremely responsive to questions I have had spanning from questions about software functions, the ability to customize measurements, electronics, hardware, and inquiries for new system components and upgrades. I have and will continue to highly recommend RHK to other researchers looking to construct a high-quality STM system and who would like to work with a company which is very responsive to their questions and needs.
We are still at the early stages of using the R9, but something that we observed right away was that there was a significant improvement in the signal to noise.
We take friction images all of the time and these can be looking at very small scans that are just a couple nanometer scan sizes.
We take friction images all of the time and these can be looking at very small scans that are just a couple nanometer scan sizes. This means you’re really subject to limits that show up from any noise source including electronic. We saw that there was a significant improvement in the noise level and a significant improvement in bandwidth as well. The students have been taking it for a test drive and they have insisted that they wanted to stick with it as they were getting better data.
My experience with RHK has been very positive, far beyond typical interactions with an instrumentation company.
We use the RHK Beetle instrument for nanomechanics and nanotribology research, and it truly is a workhorse instrument for us.
We use the RHK Beetle instrument for nanomechanics and nanotribology research, and it truly is a workhorse instrument for us. One thing that we do quite often, because we’re measuring things like friction and adhesion, is use customized scanning modes. We have been very happy with RHK’s support. We call them frequently and we’ve received a consistent and insightful support and feedback on how to implement and make use of very unusual customized modes that come up all of the time in research. Our Beetle system with R9 is versatile, has powerful capabilities and high precision that coupled with excellent service. It has provided results that we have published in the top journals including Science and Nature. They have been a true partner in not just providing great instrumentation but giving excellent service and supporting further experimental innovation.
No other STM controller we looked at provided the degree of flexibility the R9 offers, especially concerning user control of the high-voltage amplifiers
i.e. the relatively unique setup of our self-made STMs requires the Z-scan high voltage amplifier to be able to generate user-defined arbitrary wave forms, which at the point of purchase no other company wanted to guarantee.
i.e. the relatively unique setup of our self-made STMs requires the Z-scan high voltage amplifier to be able to generate user-defined arbitrary wave forms, which at the point of purchase no other company wanted to guarantee. The R9 works flawlessly in this regard, so I’m convinced we made the right choice to buy the R9. Great experience with the tech support of our SPM1000 also heavily influenced our decision to buy RHK again.
The specs of R9 were too good (v Nanonis) to pass up, and I have not been disappointed.
I am using the pulse counter, PLL, and lock-ins for an eventual experiment that will combine confocal and AFM for extremely high res MFM measurements. The R9 has moved a step beyong Nanonis.
When it comes to high resolution SPM measurements with operation at the physical limits
The SPM controller is a crucial component where one should not make any compromise but chose the best available technology.
The SPM controller is a crucial component where one should not make any compromise but chose the best available technology. The R9 provides superior stability and noise figures for the output channels controlling the tip movement and approach and super performance with unmatched digitization accuracy for the input channels. Together with the rich functionality and flexibility of the controller software as well as the ease in integrating external components, the R9 is the unrivalled choice for the ambitious SPM experimentalist.
R9plus Family Gallery
R9plus Family Publications
With over 250 R9 and R9plus Controllers in active use in labs around the world, researchers continue to generate a significant number of publications. R9/R9plus Controls provide substantial benefits and versatile new capabilities not only for RHK PanScan and Beetle systems, but also for competing SPM brands and numerous home-built SPM as well. Below is a partial bibliography with references from our R9/R9plus users operating non-RHK SPM. We make every effort to include as many papers as possible, but it is unlikely that we catch them all. Please email us if you have recently published a paper using an RHK Controller or if you wish to receive more information on a specific application.