Scanning probe microscopes are notoriously susceptible to disturbances, or mechanical noise, from the surrounding environment that couple to the probe–sample interaction. These disturbances include vibrations of mechanical components, piezo drift, and thermal expansion. Disturbance effects can be substantially reduced by designing a rigid microscope, incorporating effective vibration isolation,...

This paper presents the results of the tests and analysis on the coefficient of thermal expansion for the steel strand under combined low temperatures and prestressing forces. A test program was firstly carried out to study the thermal expansion behaviour of the seven-wire strand under combined different low temperatures ranging from 20 to 165 C and different prestressing levels ranging from 0 ...

A noncontact measurement technique for the density and the thermal expansion coefficient of refractory materials in their molten as well as solid phases is presented. This technique is based on the video image processing of a levitated sample. Experiments were performed using the high-temperature electrostatic levitator ~HTESL! at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in which 2–3 mm diam samples can b...

Magnetic and local structures in an antiperovskite system, Mn3Cu1−xGexN, with a giant negative thermal expansion have been studied by neutron powder diffraction measurement. We discuss (1) an importance of an averaged cubic crystal structure and a Γ antiferromagnetic spin structure for the large magneto-volume effect (MVE) in this itinerant electron system, (2) an unique role of a local lattice...