Using a PC to Contol the Kelvin Probe

The figure below depicts the main components of a PC controlled ambient Scanning Kelvin Probe system. The PC houses the digital oscillator (which powers the voice coil actuator), data acquisition system and motorised (x,y,z) stage controller. The signal is derived from a low-noise, high-gain current to voltage (I/V) converter mounted close to the tip.

The principal advantage of PC based systems is that work function data can be collected simultaneously with other experimental variables such as absorbate dose, sample temperature, ion flux, etc.