US 2006/0123895 A1 · Drive head and personal atomic force microscope having the same

Abstract

Provided are a drive head and a personal atomic force microscope having the same, and the drive head includes a cantilever provided with a bend detector and for moving a probe, a drive head for moving the cantilever up and down, and a scanner for moving a sample in x- and y-axis directions. The cantilever has a simple structure provided with the bend detector, and the drive head and the scanner are bi-directionally movable and have a large displacement due to the elasticity of the flexible hinge. The personal atomic force microscope has little hysteresis or creep due to its high linearity. Therefore, there is no necessity of a separate sensor system for calibration, and it is possible to obtain a desired image through a single initial calibration.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A drive head comprising:

a flexible hinge having an elastic portion at a predetermined portion;
a supporter for supporting the flexible hinge and applying a predetermined force to the elastic portion of the flexible hinge;
a yoke connected to the flexible hinge at a position corresponding to the supporter;
a magnet projected from the yoke in one direction;
and
a coil fixed on the supporter and overlapping the magnet.

3 more elements

A personal atomic force microscope comprising:

a probe located on a sample;
a cantilever for moving the probe;
a bend detector with an electric conductivity varying according to a degree of bend of the cantilever;
a controller outputting a control signal according to the electric conductivity provided from the bend detector;
a drive head for moving the cantilever up and down to uniformly maintain a gap between the probe and the sample in response to the control signal;
and
a scanner for moving the sample, wherein the drive head comprises:
a flexible hinge connected to the cantilever and having an elastic portion at a predetermined portion;
a supporter for supporting the flexible hinge and applying a predetermined force to the elastic portion of the flexible hinge;
a yoke connected to the flexible hinge at a position corresponding to the supporter;
a magnet projected from the yoke in one direction;
and a coil fixed on the supporter and overlapping the magnet.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

11/298,041Filed 8 Dec 2005

Priority

KR 2004-10429210 Dec 2004

Published

15 Jun 2006

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

G01Q 10/04
Scanning or positioning arrangements, i.e. arrangements for actively controlling the movement or position of the probe: fine scanning or positioning
B82Y 35/00
Methods or apparatus for measurement or analysis of nanostructures
G01Q 60/38
AFM [Atomic Force Microscopy] or apparatus therefor, e.g. AFM probes: probes, their manufacture, or their related instrumentation, e.g. holders
G01Q
Scanning-probe techniques or apparatus

Drive head and personal atomic force microscope having the same

Life of this patent

Drive head and personal atomic force microscope having the same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13