Method and apparatus for infrared scanning near-field optical microscopy based on photothermal effect
AssigneeBruker Nano, Inc.
InventorsHonghua Yang, Craig Prater
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods may be provided for measuring an infrared absorption of a sub micrometer region of a sample. An Infrared light source may illuminate a sample in a region that is interacting with the tip of a Scanning Probe Microscope (SPM), stimulating the sample in a way that produces measurable optical properties related to Infrared absorption of the sample region. A probe light source is directed at the region of the sample and SPM tip, and probe light emanating from the tip and sample region is collected. The collected light may be used to derive infrared absorption spectrum information of the sample region, possibly on a sub-micron scale.
Claims20
A method for measuring an infrared absorption spectrum of a sample region, the method comprising:
- a. Interacting a tip of a Scanning Probe Microscope with the sample region;
- b. Illuminating the sample region with an infrared beam from an infrared light source;
- c. Illuminating the sample region and the tip with a probe light from a narrow band light source;
- d. Collecting the probe light, wherein the collected probe light is reflected and emanating from the sample region;
- and
- e. Analyzing the collected probe light to construct a signal indicative of the infrared absorption spectrum of the sample region.
A system for measuring an infrared absorption of a sample region, the system comprising a Scanning Probe Microscope (SPM) having a probe tip, an infrared light source, a narrow band probe light source, a probe light collector, and at least one computing device including control, data acquisition, and data analysis elements, the system configured to:
- a. Interact the tip with the sample region;
- b. Illuminate the sample region with an infrared beam from the infrared light source;
- c. Illuminate the sample region and the tip with the narrow band probe light beam;
- d. Collect probe light from the sample region with probe light detector;
- and
- e. Analyze the collected probe light to construct a signal indicative of the infrared absorption spectrum of the sample region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.