Low Drift Scanning Probe Microscope
AssigneeBrucker Nano, Inc.
InventorsAnthonius Ruiter, Henry Mittel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A scanning probe microscope, such as an atomic force microscope, include a z-stage and a bridge structure comprised substantially free of Invar. A scanner containing a probe is mounted to the z-stage, which is movable in the z-axis to raise and lower the probe. A drift compensation system is provided to reduce thermal drift of the z-stage and the bridge. The drift compensation system includes heating elements thermally coupled to the z-stage and the bridge, ambient temperature sensors, and a controller to actively control the heating elements to maintain the bridge and the z-stage at an elevated temperature.
Claims21
A scanning probe microscope comprising:
- a base;
- a bridge structure coupled to the base;
- a probe having a tip, the probe supported by the bridge structure;
- a scanner to provide relative scanning motion between the probe and a sample;
- and
- a thermal control system operative to heat the bridge structure prior to scanning of the sample by the scanner and maintain the bridge structure at a first substantially constant temperature during scanning of the sample by the scanner.
An atomic force microscope comprising:
- a base;
- a bridge structure coupled to and supported by the base, the bridge structure substantially free of Invar®;
- a z-axis actuator coupled to the bridge structure;
- a head assembly coupled to the z-axis actuator, the head assembly including an atomic force probe;
- a platform for supporting a sample to be scanned generally below the head assembly;
- a heating element coupled to the bridge structure;
- a temperature sensor operative to measure a temperature of the bridge structure;
- a thermal controller operative to receive signals from the temperature sensor containing information regarding the temperature of the bridge structure, and further operative to control the heating element to heat the bridge structure to maintain the temperature of the bridge structure at a relatively constant temperature during scanning of the sample.
A method of minimizing drift in an atomic force microscope during scanning of a sample, wherein the microscope includes a probe mounted to a support structure formed of a material substantially free of Invar®, the method comprising:
- pre-heating the support structure to a pre-defined temperature, wherein the pre- defined temperature exceeds that of an amount of heat generated in the support structure during scanning the sample;
- monitoring a temperature of the support structure during scanning of the sample;
- and
- heating the support structure during scanning of the sample to maintain the temperature of the support structure substantially at the pre-defined temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.