Scanning probe microscopy with inherent disturbance suppression
OwnerAndrew Sparks, Scott Manalisinventors
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Abstract
A method for inherently suppressing out-of-plane disturbances in scanning probe microscopy that facilitates higher resolution imaging, particularly in noisy environments.
Claims50
A method for performing scanning probe microscopy to measure a property of a surface of a sample, comprising:
- measuring an interaction of a localized probe with the surface;
- and
- substantially simultaneously measuring a position of the sample with a delocalized sensor.
An apparatus for measuring a property of a sample surface using scanning probe microscopy, comprising:
- a localized probe that detects the property;
- and
- a delocalized sensor in mechanical communication with the localized probe.
An apparatus for measuring a property of a sample surface using scanning probe microscopy, the property exhibiting a variation in at least one dimension, comprising:
- a localized probe having a resolution;
- and
- a delocalized sensor in mechanical communication with the localized probe,
- wherein the delocalized sensor is insensitive to the lateral variation of the property at the resolution of the surface probe.
An apparatus for measuring a property of a surface of a sample using scanning probe microscopy, comprising:
- a localized probe that interacts with the surface;
- a delocalized sensor in mechanical communication with the localized probe;
- and
- an actuator that displaces the sample roughly perpendicularly to its surface to substantially maintain the magnitude of an interaction between the localized probe and the surface,
- wherein the delocalized sensor detects a position of the sample.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.