Zi² an open source software for coupling AFM and lock-in from Zurich Instruments

The Swiss company Zurich Instruments (ZI) develops specialised electronics for research laboratories. Our INL laboratory has two HF2LI “super lock-in amplifier” from ZI. These electronics are equipped with several oscillators, demodulators, PID and PLL control systems [0]. This electronics can therefore be used for a wide range of applications in various fields [1].
At INL, the HF2LI are coupled to our near-field microscopes (NTMDT, Bruker and Omicron). Its LabOne interface (web interface with a USB connection) can be queried by applications (called APIs) such as Python (there are also Labview and Matlab).
In June 2020, I have conceived , proposed and supervised an IUT GEii internship to interface the data acquisition module of LabOne and a Bruker Dimension 3100 near-field microscope with Nanoscope V control electronics. The software had to be written in Python and would allow to acquire images of all internal channels without any analog/digital conversion. The result of this project is a software called Zi² written by Adrianos Sidiras Galante. This software is Open Source and published under CeCiLL-C licence. Its source code is available from the hosting company Github. It allows to image and capture all the channels of the electronics as AFM images [2] and synchronized with our Bruker microscope electronics. It was featured in Zurich Instruments global newsletter “Q4” in 2020 [3].
Since then, the software continues to evolve and will offer acquisition coupled with other types of microscopes (NTMDT / Omicron / …).

Contact: David ALBERTINI

[0] proportional–integral–derivative PID controller and phase lock loop PLL
[1] https://www.zhinst.com/europe/fr/applications
[2] The AFM images created are in gwyddion format (open source software). (http://gwyddion.net/)
[3] https://www.zhinst.com/europe/fr/newsletter/zurich-instruments-newsletter-edition-q4-2020#Userstory