Tunnel effect measuring systems and particle detectors

A method of determining a position of an object in space, comprising in combination the steps of:

• providing an elastic beam for suspending said object;
• making said elastic beam deflectable by an electrostatic feedback signal;
• providing a tunneling gap between a tunneling tip and an electrode;
• connecting one of said tunneling tip and said electrode to said elastic beam;
• providing an electric tunneling current through said tunneling gap between said tunneling tip and said electrode;
• determining a position of said object in space when providing said electric tunneling current;
• deflecting said elastic beam with a force acting on said object by changing said object in position to provide a corresponding variation in an electrical property of said gap relating to said tunneling current;
• providing a servo loop responding to said variation in said electrical property;
• deriving said electrostatic feedback signal from the servo loop;
• restoring said deflected beam in position with said derived electrostatic feedback signal;
• providing a servo loop output signal indicative of said force;
• and
• determining the direction of said force relative to said object from said corresponding variation in said electrical property and thereby the changed position of said object in space.

Apparatus for determining a position of an object in space, comprising in combination:

• means for providing an electric tunneling current through a tunneling gap between an electrode and said object in space;
• means for determining a position of said object in space when providing said electric tunneling current through a tunneling gap between an electrode and said object in space;
• means for varying said gap with a force acting on said object by changing said object in position to induce a corresponding variation in an electrical property of said gap relating to said tunneling current;
• and
• means for determining the direction of said force relative to said object from said corresponding variation in said electrical property and thereby the changed position of said object in space.

Apparatus for determining a position of an object in space, comprising in combination:

• an elastic beam suspending said object;
• means for deflecting said elastic beam with an electrostatic feedback signal;
• a tunneling tip, an electrode, and a tunneling gap between said tunneling tip and said electrode, one of said tunneling tip and said electrode connected to said elastic beam;
• means for providing an electric tunneling current through said tunneling gap between said tunneling tip and said electrode;
• means for determining a position of said object in space when providing said electric tunneling current;
• means for deflecting said elastic beam with a force acting on said object by changing said object in position to provide a corresponding variation in an electrical property of said gap relating to said tunneling current;
• means including a servo loop responding to said variation in said electrical property;
• means for deriving said electrostatic feedback signal from the servo loop;
• means connected to said means for deriving said electrostatic feedback signal and to said means for deflecting said elastic beam, for restoring said deflected beam in position with said derived electrostatic feedback signal;
• means connected to said servo loop for providing a servo loop output signal indicative of said force;
• and
• means for determining the direction of said force relative to said object from said corresponding variation in said electrical property and thereby the changed position of said object in space.