Object inspection and/or modification system and method

An SPM system comprising:

• an SPM probe for making a modification to the object;
• a positioning system to position the SPM modification probe with respect to the object;
• and
• a controller to control the positioning system such that positioning of the SPM probe with respect to the object is made by driving the positioning system simultaneously in the X, Y, and Z dimensions.

A graphical user interface for rendering first measurement data and second meassurement data on a display, the first and second measurement data each comprising measurement data points that each include first and second coordinate values representing a positon in a plane, each of the data points of the first measurement data further including a measurement value representing a measurement of a first predefined measurement parameter, each of the data points of the second measurement data further including a measurement value representing a measurement of a second predefined measurement parameter, the graphical user interface comprising:

• a surface image generator to generate first image data from the first measurement data and second image data from the second measurement data, the first image data representing a 3-D first surface image of a first surface that extends along the plane and is contoured based on the measurement values of the data points of the first measurement data, the second image data representing a 3-D second surface image of a second surface that extends along the plane and is contoured based on the measurement values of the data points of the second measurement data;
• and
• an overlay image generator to generate overlay image data by overlaying the first and second image data, the overlay image data representing a 3-D overlay image of one of the first and second surfaces overlaid on the other one of the first and second surfaces, the overlay image being displayed by the display in response to the overlay image data.

A graphical user interface for rendering on a display a 3-D composite image of an object and a display tool embedded in the object, the graphical user interface comprising:

• an object image generator to generate object image data that represents a 3-D object image of the object;
• a dislay tool image generator to generate display tool image data based on the object image, the display tool image data representing a 3-D display tool image of the display tool;
• and
• a composite image generator to generate composite image data by combining the display tool image data and the object image data so that the composite image data represents the composite image, the composite image being displayed by the display in response to the composite image data.

An SPM system for inspecting and modifying an object, the SPM system comprising:

• SPM probes that include one or more inspection SPM probes and one or more modification SPM probes;
• inspection components to inspect the object by making SPM measurements with the one or more SPM inspection probes and to generate inspection results from the SPM measurments;
• and
• modification components to modify the object with the one or more modification SPM probes based on the inspection results.

An SPM system for inspecting and modifying an object, the SPM system comprising:

• SPM probes that include one or more inspection SPM probes and one or more modification probes for modifying the object;
• inspection means for inspecting the object by making SPM measurements with the one or more SPM inspection probes and generating inspection results from the SPM measurments;
• and
• modification means for modifying the object with the one or more modification SPM probes based on the inspection results.

A method for inspecting and modifying an object, the method comprising the steps of:

• inspecting the object by making SPM measurements with one or more SPM inspection probes;
• generating inspection results from the SPM measurments;
• and
• modifying the object with one or more modification SPM probes based on the inspection results.

An SPM system that comprises:

• an SPM probe comprising:
• an SPM tool;
• and
• a base that has an upper and lower surface and is connected to and surrounds the SPM tool so that the SPM tool is located between the upper and lower surface and Is thereby protected from being damaged;
• and
• components to make SPM measurements of or SPM modifications to an object with the SPM tool.

An SPM probe that comprises:

• an SPM tool that has a cantilever and a tip on the cantilever;
• and
• a base that has an upper and lower surfacer and surrounds the SPM tool;
• the cantilever of the SPM tool being connected to the base so that the SPM tool is located between the upper and lower surface when the cantilever is not bending, the cantilever of the SPM tool being capable of being selectively bent back and forth by a tip activation apparatus so as to selectively position the tip of the SPM tool below and above the lower surface of the base whereby the tip of the SPM tool may be selectively activated and deactivated for making SPM measurements or SPM modifications to an object and protected from being damaged when deactivated.

An SPM system that comprises:

• an SPM probe that comprises:
• an SPM tool that has a cantilever and a tip on the cantilever;
• and
• a base that has an upper and lower surfacer and surrounds the SPM tool;
• the cantilever of the SPM tool being connected to the base so that the SPM tool is located between the upper and lower surface when the cantilever is not bending;
• a tip activation apparatus to selectively cause the cantilever of the SPM tool to be bent down and up so as to selectively position the tip of the SPM tool below and above the lower surface of the base whereby the tip of the SPM tool may be selectively activated for operation and deactivated for protection against being damaged;
• components to make SPM measurements or SPM modifications to an object with the SPM tool when the tip of the SPM tool is activated.

A microstructured force balance that comprises:

• a base;
• a contact platform;
• a suspension system connected to the base and the contact platform to displaceably suspend the contact platform over the base such that contact displacement of the contact platform is caused when a contact force is applied to the contact platform via contact with the contact platform;
• and
• one or more displacement actuators to apply an actuator force to the contact platform to cause actuator displacement of the contact platform with respect to the base;
• wherein the contact and actuator forces are applied in opposite directions and the contact and actuator displacements occur in opposite directions.

A microstructured force balance that comprises:

• a base;
• a contact platform;
• a suspension system connected to the base and the contact platform to displaceably suspend the contact platform over the base, the contact platform being displaced by varying amounts of displacement when varying amounts of force are applied to the contact platform by contacting the contact platform;
• and
• a displacement actuator to selectively apply varying amounts of force to the contact platform to selectively cause varying amounts of displacement of the contact platform with respect to the base.

An SPM system that comprises:

• an SPM probe comprising:
• a base with an aperture therein;
• an SPM tool connected to the base and located within the aperture;
• components to make an SPM measurement of or SPM modification to the object with the SPM tool of the SPM probe;
• and
• a vacuum source in fluid communication with the aperture in the base of the SPM probe;
• the components including a positioning system to position the probe with respect to the object to maintain a gap between the object and the lower surface of the probe so that the vacuum source causes a vacuum to be established In the gap while the SPM measurement of or SPM modification to the object is made with the SPM tool of the SPM probe.

A force measurement system to measure a force applied by an item with respect to displacement of the item, the force measurement system comprising:

• a microstructured force balance that comprises:
• a base;
• a contact platform;
• a suspension system connected to the base and the contact platform to displaceably suspend the contact platform over the base, the displacment of the item causing the force that causes a first displacement of the contact platform that is applied to the contact platform by an item while the item contacts the contact platform;
• and
• a displacement actuator to apply a force to the contact platform to cause a second displacement of the contact platform with respect to the base;
• system components to measure the force applied by the item by (a) causing the displacement actuator to apply the force to the contact platform to cause the second displacement of the contact platform, (b) measuring the first and second displacements and determining when the first displacement has been nulled by the second displacement, and (c) measuring the force applied by the displacement actuator when the first displacement has been determined to have been nulled by the second displacement.

A force measurement system to measure a force applied to an item with respect to displacement of the item and/or the displacement of the item with respect to the force applied to the item, the system comprising:

• a microstructured force balance that comprises:
• a base;
• a contact platform;
• a suspension system connected to the base and the contact platform to displaceably suspend the contact platform over the base;
• and
• a displacement actuator to apply a force to the contact platform to cause the displacement of the contact platform with respect to the base;
• system components (a) cause the displacement actuator to apply the force to the contact platform that cause the displacement of the contact platform, and (b) measure the force applied to the item with respect to the displacement of the item and/or the displacement of the item with respect to the force applied to the item.

A force measurement system to measure a contact force applied by an item, the force measurement system comprises:

• a microstructured force balance that comprises:
• a base;
• a contact platform;
• a suspension system connected to the base and the contact platform to displaceably suspend the contact platform over the base such that contact displacement of the contact platform is caused when the contact force is applied by the item to the contact platform via contact with the contact platform;
• and
• one or more displacement actuators to apply an actuator force to the contact platform to cause actuator displacement of the contact platform with respect to the base;
• the contact and actuator forces being applied in opposite directions and the contact and actuator displacements occuring in opposite directions;
• system components to measure the contact force by (a) causing the one or more displacement actuators to apply the actuator force to the contact platform, (b) and (b) measuring the actuator force when the contact displacement is nulled by the actuator displacement.

A force measurement system to measure a force applied to an item, the force measurement system comprising:

• a microstructured force balance that comprises:
• a base;
• a contact platform;
• a suspension system connected to the base and the contact platform to displaceably suspend the contact platform over the base such that a force that causes a first displacement of the contact platform is applied to the contact platform by an item while the item contacts the contact platform;
• and
• a displacement actuator to apply a force to the contact platform to cause a second displacement of the contact platform with respect to the base;
• system components to measure the force applied to an item by (a) causing the displacement actuator to apply the force to the contact platform to cause the second displacement of the contact platform, (b) measuring the first and second displacements and determining when the first displacement has been nulled by the second displacement, and (c) measuring the force applied by the displacement actuator when the first displacement has been determined to have been nulled by the second displacement.

A system to measure displacement of an item with respect to a known force applied to the item, the system comprising:

• a microstructured force balance that comprises:
• a base;
• a contact platform;
• a suspension system connected to the base and the contact platform to displaceably suspend the contact platform over the base;
• and
• a displacement actuator to apply a known force to the contact platform to cause displacement of the contact platform with respect to the base which causes the displacement of the item when the item is in contact with the contact platform;
• and
• system components to (a) cause the displacement actuator to apply the known force to the contact platform and (b) measure the displacement of the item.

A system to measure a force applied to an item with respect to displacement of the item, the system comprising:

• a microstructured force balance that comprises:
• a base;
• a contact platform;
• a suspension system connected to the base and the contact platform to displaceably suspend the contact platform over the base;
• and
• a displacement actuator to apply a force to the contact platform to cause displacement of the contact platform with respect to the base which causes the displacement of the item when the item is in contact with the contact platform;
• and
• system components to (a) cause the displacement actuator to apply the force to the contact platform, (b) measure the force, and (c) measure the displacement of the item.

An SPM system to make SPM measurements of or SPM modifications to an object, the SPM system comprising:

• an SPM probe with a cantilver and a tip on the cantilever;
• a positioning system to position the SPM probe;
• a microstructured force balance that comprises:
• a base;
• a contact platform;
• a suspension system connected to the base and the contact platform to displaceably suspend the contact platform over the base;
• and
• a displacement actuator to apply a force to the contact platform to cause displacement of the contact platform with respect to the base;
• positioning the the contact platform such that a force that causes displacement of the contact platform is applied to the contact platform by the SPM probe while the SPM probe contacts the contact platform
• that nulls the displacement of the contact platform caused by the force applied by the item
• system components to measure the force applied by the item to the contact platform by (a) causing the displacement actuator to apply the force to the contact platform to cause the displacement of the contact platform and (b) measuring when the displacement caused by the force applied by the item has been nulled by the displacement caused by the force applied by the displacement actuator.

A force measurement system to measure a force applied to or by an item, the force measurement system comprising:

• a microstructured force balance that comprises:
• a base;
• a contact platform;
• a suspension system connected to the base and the contact platform to displaceably suspend the contact platform over the base such that a force that causes displacement of the contact platform is applied to the contact platform by an item while the item contacts the contact platform;
• and
• a displacement actuator to apply a force to the contact platform to cause displacement of the contact platform with respect to the base that nulls the displacement of the contact platform caused by the force applied by the item;
• system components to measure the force applied by the item to the contact platform by (a) causing the displacement actuator to apply the force to the contact platform to cause the displacement of the contact platform and (b) measuring when the displacement caused by the force applied by the item has been nulled by the displacement caused by the force applied by the displacement actuator.

A force measurement system to measure a force applied to or by an item, the force measurement system comprising:

• a microstructured force balance that comprises:
• a base;
• a contact platform;
• a suspension system connected to the base and the contact platform to displaceably suspend the contact platform over the base such that a force that causes displacement of the contact platform is applied to the contact platform by an item while the item contacts the contact platform;
• and
• a displacement actuator to apply a force to the contact platform to cause displacement of the contact platform with respect to the base that nulls the displacement of the contact platform caused by the force applied by the item;
• system components to measure the force applied by the item to the contact platform by (a) causing the displacement actuator to apply the force to the contact platform to cause the displacement of the contact platform and (b) measuring when the displacement caused by the force applied by the item has been nulled by the displacement caused by the force applied by the displacement actuator.