Methods utilizing scanning probe microscope tips and products thereof or produced thereby

A method of performing atomic force microscope (AFM) imaging in air comprising:

• providing an AFM tip;
• contacting the AFM tip with a hydrophobic compound so that the AFM tip is coated with the hydrophobic compound, the hydrophobic compound being selected so that AFM imaging using the coated AFM tip is improved compared to AFM imaging using the same tip which is uncoated;
• and
• performing AFM imaging in air with the coated tip.

An apparatus for depositing a compound on a substrate, comprising:

• a first data collection including geometric entity data for one or more geometric entities, wherein for a first of the geometric entities there is:
• a corresponding first portion of the first data collection, and a corresponding second data collection of values for identifying of at least one of:
• the compound, the substrate, one or more tips for depositing the compound on the substrate, and a force of contact of at least one of said tips to a surface of the substrate;
• a drawing data provider for obtaining diffusion related information for use in drawing the first geometric entity when said drawing data provider is supplied with said second data collection;
• a pattern translator for determining one or more drawing commands for drawing the first geometric entity on the substrate, at least one of said drawing commands generated using at least one of:
• a first value related to a time for drawing at least a portion of the first geometric entity, and a second value related to a drawing speed for at least a portion of the first geometric entity;
• wherein said at least of the first and second values are determined using (i) information obtained from the diffusion related information, (ii) first information obtained from the first portion, and (iii) second information obtained from the second data collection;
• a drawing system for drawing said first geometric entity on the substrate when provided with said one or more drawing commands, said drawing system including a drawing tip wherein, in response to at least one of said drawing commands, said drawing tip draws said first geometric entity having an extent of less thanone hundred micrometers.

A method or depositing a compound on a substrate, comprising:

• first obtaining a first data collection including:
• (i) first geometric entity data for a first geometric entity, and (ii) a corresponding second data collection of one or more values for identifying of at least one of:
• the compound, the substrate, one or more tips for depositing the compound on the substrate, and (iii) a force of contact of at least one of said tips to a surface of the substrate;
• obtaining diffusion related information for use in drawing the first geometric entity;
• determining one or more drawing commands for drawing the first geometric entity on the substrate, at least one of said drawing commands generated using at least one of:
• a first value related to a time for drawing at least a portion of the first geometric entity, and a second value related to a drawing speed for at least a portion of the first geometric entity;
• wherein said at least one of the first and second values are determined using:
• (i) information obtained from the diffusion related information, (ii) first information obtained from the first portion, and (iii) second information obtained from the second data collection;
• drawing said first geometric entity on the substrate when provided with said one or more drawing commands, wherein, in response to at least one of said drawing commands, a drawing tip draws said first geometric entity having an extent of less than one hundred micrometers.