Ultra-compact nanocavity-enhanced scanning probe microscopy and method
OwnerDirk R. ENGLUNDinventor
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Abstract
Techniques for measuring the topography of a surface using a device including a semiconductor slab having a distal end and a base region, and an air slot therein. A sensor tip can be coupled to the slab below the air-slot. A photonic crystal including a lattice pattern with a cavity region defined by a local perturbation in the lattice pattern can be integrated into the semiconductor slab above and below the air slot, thereby providing a split-cavity photonic crystal resonator integrated into the semiconductor slab.
Claims20
A device for measuring the topography of a surface, comprising:
- a semiconductor slab having a distal end and a base region, and an air-slot therein, the air-slot having a proximal end and a distal end;
- a sensor tip, coupled to the slab, below the air-slot;
- and
- a photonic crystal including a lattice pattern and having a cavity region defined by a local perturbation in the lattice pattern, the photonic crystal being integrated into the semiconductor slab above and below the air-slot;
- wherein the air-slot runs through the cavity region, thereby splitting the cavity region and providing a split-cavity photonic crystal resonator integrated into the semiconductor slab.
A method of determining the topography of a surface using a semiconductor slab including a photonic crystal resonator having a split-cavity region split by an air-slot therein, comprising:
- placing a tip of the semiconductor slab at a first location proximate the surface;
- determining an initial resonance frequency of the split-cavity region corresponding to a first level of compression of the cavity;
- advancing the semiconductor slab relative surface to at least a second location proximate the surface;
- determining at least one additional resonance frequency of the split-cavity region corresponding to at least one additional level of compression of the cavity;
- and
- calculating a change, if any, from the initial resonance frequency to the at least one additional resonance frequency to thereby determine a deflection of the tip and a corresponding change in the topography of the surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.