Release Notes for Nanonis SPM V5 Software

2022-11-15 (R12278)

The number of backgrounds to paste scan images has been increased from 5 to 10
The Data Logger does not have a limitation of 25.000 points per file any longer. The total number of points per file can be configured by the user, as well as the folder where the files are saved
Added programming support for the High Speed Sweeper
Added programming support for MultiPass
Added the Script module as part of the list of experiments to run in Point & Shoot
Fixed a bug in the API to get the scan data programmatically
Various bugfixes and minor changes

2022-05-26 (R11798)

All acquisition modules like Scan, Spectroscopy, ... now have access to the full signal list (instead of a pre-selected list of 24 signals). The Signals Assignment is no longer needed and has been removed.
Be careful when using the programming interface to set the acquired channels in these modules, since the signal indices have a different meaning now (they are now indices of the full signals list, see Signals Manager for the indices).
In the listboxes for the acquired signals one can switch between signal selection and selected signals.
Spectroscopy modules (Bias/Z) show data during measurement for sweeps taking more than 2 seconds
Improved accuracy of SC5 analog input offset correction (requires new hrDAC tuning)
Added support for the Pluto Instruments PCG-380F-R (R4 version) preamplifier
Various bugfixes and minor changes

2022-04-01 (R11566)

Integration of High-Speed Sweeper into Experiments on a Grid
Fixed a crash after hrDAC tuning in R11391
Various minor changes and fixes

2022-01-21 (R11391)

SC5 Fast AOs are available as user outputs; the Custom Views can be configured to display up to 12 outputs/inputs; the Custom Views can be combined and arranged in columns
Z-Spectroscopy: added TTL Sync options
PMD4 Motor Control module: frequency and amplitude now adjustable per group
Various minor changes and fixes

2021-06-18 (R10811)

Oscillation Control 2: added option to use Oscillation Control 1 frequency generator (with optional harmonic & phase shift)
UserChannels bundled into Outputs/Inputs window; SC5 Fast AOs are available as UOs; Custom Views up to 12 outputs/inputs; Multiple Custom Views can be shown in columns
Scan: option to disable start scan buttons when the Z-Ctrl is off
Q-Control: added PI/TCP interface support
Some minor changes & fixes

2021-05-04 (R10684)

Fix performance issue related to the configuration of User Outputs as calculated channels
Some additional fixes when loading-saving settings of User Outputs
Support for the MCVA5 and FEMTO preamplifiers by the User Inputs
New features in the Script module (additional LookUp Tables, and new command to move the tip)
New scale button in the Line Scan Monitors to have the same aspect ratio for both axes
Resizable Custom Views in the User Channels modules
Fix for control data entries in Approach-Retract module
Some minor changes

2021-02-12 (R10462)

New advanced features in the Lock-In module (option to generate an output signal in sync with a frequency generator and option to use the demodulators as configurable filters for any signal)
Added Offset for Input channel in Temperature modules
Fix for progress bar in Bias Spectroscopy
Fix for Outputs channels of SC5 #2/#3 or SO5
Fix for high RT CPU load in certain systems which might create connection issues (especially important for users of older RC5 with NI PXIe-8115 Real-Time Controllers, where the CPU of the RT system could easily overload)
Some minor changes

2020-12-30 (R10340)

Z-Controller SafeTip Auto-Recovery now also works when the Z-Controller is switched off.
Bugfix for PLL #2
Programming Interface: Added function to return the Z-Controller status (more details than just on/off)
Various minor changes and fixes

2020-11-20 (R10255)

Performance improvements Real-time system (especially important for users of older RC5 with NI PXIe-8115 Real-Time Controllers, where the CPU of the RT system could easily overload)
Performance improvements for some TCP Programming Interface functions
TCP Programming Interface changed to allow multiple connections, each of them executing the commands serially. To execute commands in parallel, use multiple connections.
Callback VI section in Multipass available to all users
Added ports C&D to the DIO Trigger experiment
Support for new Programming Interface functions (e.g. stop PLL sweepers and Tip Shaper)
Various other fixes and improvements

2020-06-09 (R9634)

Scan Control: 3 new DIO trigger options for frame start, frame end, scan direction
Better support for systems with unipolar piezo outputs
Lock-in: can now demodulate all FPGA signals. Possible application: tandem demodulation (demodulate the output of another demodulator)
Lock-in demodulators can be used as generic low-pass filters by setting harmonic to 0
Various new functions in the Programming Interface / TCP Interface
Many other fixes and improvements

2020-01-29 (R9170)

Switchable Scanner: optional module to switch the scan control between 2 scanners (one can be scanned, the other is kept at the current position)
Support for DIO Ports C & D added
New Attocube Motor Control for ANC350 v4
New motor module with 1 TTL line fully configurable
Cloud mode was improved to allow more points and massive better performance for point manipulation
Piezo Calibration: new voltage limits per calibration profile

2019-07-29 (R8591)

Oscillation Control: option to limit Exc >= 0 (no active damping)
Piezo Calibration: support for asymmetric voltage limits
Bias DC available as signal for Kelvin measurements

2018-04-24 (R7856)

Full support for up to 3 SC5 and 2 SO5 (maximum of 4 devices total), i.e. the additional devices are supported in hrDAC (only SC5), Lock-in, Function Generator, High-Resolution Oscilloscope.
Output/Input modules (for devices above SC5 #1): added custom views, which lets the user define groups of up to 8 outputs/inputs to be visible in addition to the standard view of channels per device.
Oscillation Control: flexible modulator configuration, allowing modes like Q-Control or dual excitation (using a single OC4).
Bugfix: On systems with comma (,) as decimal separator, the ZoomFFT module would incorrectly interpret the cutoff frequency and thus not work correctly for some cutoff frequency settings.
Many other fixes and improvements

2017-06-01 (R7249)

Performance optimizations in the software. When operating the software for a long time software operation could become sluggish. This update should improve the performance.
Bias Spectroscopy: added option to use an alternate Z-Controller setpoint before starting the spectroscopy measurement and added option to switch the lock-in on/off per segment in multi-line segment measurements. Also added an initial delay per segment to let the lock-in signals settle.
Z Spectroscopy: added 2nd condition to the Auto-Retract functionality
Script module: added new commands (if, break)
Scripts can now be called from the Scan module in pattern or subgrid modes. Several fixes in the Script module, e.g. related to LUT.
Fixed bug in Z-Spectroscopy which added one RT cycle per point with a specific timing configuration
Fixed bug in Scan Multipass where list of channels available for recording was wrong
For users of R7232 we strongly recommend this update due to a hrDAC issue for AO1 in R7232 which could lead to glitches at the output, and due to a bug using the Lock-In in Bias Specroscopy

2016-08-26 (R6772)

Support for up to 3 SC5's, providing up to additional 16 output and 16 input channels
Script module: improved user interface with easier access to commands and drag&drop capability
AtomTracking controller: Added speed limit for tip movement
Fixes a bug that could lead to a "Memory is full" error when using Bias Spectroscopy
Fixes a bug in the Lock-in low-pass filter configuration
Several other fixes and improvements

2016-05-20 (R6504)

Lock-In: second module with one additional modulator and two more demodulators
Programming Interface functions for full Lock-in functionality added (including filter settings and other parameters)
Data Logger: new module to continuously save data to disk at RT speed
Script module: new features like the option to wait for a digital line or edge, and to set voltages based on a lookup table
History graph: new auto-saving routine
Support for new generation of RC5 controller (NI PXIe-8840 RT)
Note: after installing the RT-Upgrade required for this version, no previous versions can be installed
Various fixes and minor improvements

2015-12-07 (R6151)

Lock-In: all new Lock-in module with configurable filters (high-pass, low-pass, sync) and delay compensation
Scripting Tool: new module allowing the execution of user-defined scripts directly on the Real-time engine
Programming Interface: some new functions added
Various minor improvements

2015-07-14 (R5702)

Frequency Sweep: new amplitude and phase fit options for resonance frequency and Q-factor determination
Generic PI Controller can now be assigned to any User Output
Programming Interface: added access to advanced options in Bias- and Z-Spectroscopy functions
Non-working mouse behavior on the Scan Control image on some systems fixed
Move button failure in Motor Controls PMD, Omicron and Newport fixed
Various other fixes and minor improvements

2015-04-24 (R5531)

Scan Control: new Histogram
Maintenance release, fixes various issues in the initial V5 release

2015-02-15 (R5411, first release of software V5)

Changes in V5 compared to V4.5:

All new user interface
New concept of Oscillation Control Module for multiple frequencies
Various changes and new features throughout the whole software

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