Afm Measrurements of Martian Soil Particles Using Mems Technology - Results from the PHOENIX Mission

Light scattering experiments conducted on Mars indicated that soil particles have dimensions around 1 μm. Particles in that range play an important role in the gas exchange between sub-surface water ice and the atmosphere. Their shape can help tracing the geological history and may indicate past presence of liquid water. NASA's Phoenix mission therefore decided to analyze soil and dust particles in the sub-micrometer to a few micrometer range using an atomic force microscope (AFM) for the first time on another planet. The co-axially mounted AFM was capable of resolving particles with 10nm lateral resolution. A MEMS approach combined with mechatronic concepts for the scanner was selected for implementing the AFM. For redundancy, the sensor chip featured eight silicon cantilevers each with a 7 to 8 μm high tip. The cantilevers could be cleaved off if contaminated. During NASA's Phoenix Mission, which operated on the red planet from May to October 2008, we could demonstrate successful AFM operations. The instrument has executed 85 experiments of which 26 were needed for calibration. Of the remaining experiments about half (28) returned images where signatures of particles could be discerned.