Scanning probe system
AssigneeInfinitesima Limited
InventorAndrew Humphris
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of scanning a sample with a scanning probe system, the scanning probe system comprising a probe comprising a cantilever extending from a base to a free end, and a probe tip carried by the free end of the cantilever, the method comprising using the probe to measure an electrostatic interaction between the sample and the probe; and after measuring the electrostatic interaction between the sample and the probe, scanning the sample with the probe while simultaneously applying a bias voltage to the scanning probe system, the applied bias voltage based on the measured electrostatic interaction between the sample and the probe.
Claims20
A method of scanning a sample with a scanning probe system, the scanning probe system comprising a probe comprising a cantilever extending from a base to a free end, and a probe tip carried by the free end of the cantilever, the method comprising:
- moving the probe to a measurement position at which the sample imposes an electrostatic force on the probe;
- at the measurement position:
- applying a measurement voltage to the scanning probe system, varying the measurement voltage applied to the scanning probe system, and monitoring a reaction of the probe to the variation of the measurement voltage to measure a counteracting voltage value which reduces or nullifies the electrostatic force on the probe at the measurement position;
- and
- after the counteracting voltage value has been measured, scanning the sample with the probe while applying a bias voltage to the scanning probe system, wherein the bias voltage is based on the counteracting voltage value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.