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AssigneePark Scientific Instruments
InventorsFrederick I. Linker, Michael D. Kirk, John D. Alexander, Sang-il Park, Sung-il Park, Ian R. Smith
Estimating the term…
A scanning probe microscope having numerous advantages is disclosed. Respective scanning force and scanning tunneling probes are removably mounted in the head using kinematic mounting techniques so that they may be substituted for one another without the need to adjust the cantilever deflection sensor. A linear position-sensitive photodetector in the deflection sensor eliminates further the need for adjustments. A motorized, non-stacked x,y coarse movement stage is kinematically positioned with respect to the base and features a minimized mechanical loop to reduce thermal and vibrational effects on the position of the sample. A z coarse movement stage positions the head kinematically with respect to the base and includes a motorized drive means which allows the height, tilt and pitch of the probe to be adjusted. The scanner includes x,y and z sample position detectors which provide an accurate measurement of the position of the sample with respect to the probe. The z position detector provides an output which is exclusive of sample tilt and which may be used as an output of the scanning probe microscope. The outputs of the x,y and z position detectors may also be connected in feedback loops with the controller to improve the performance of the scanning probe microscope.
A method of mounting a probe in a scanning probe microscope, said probe comprising a cantilever and a chip, said method comprising the step of kinematically mounting said probe in a head of said scanning probe microscope.
In a scanning probe microscope, a head, said head being adapted to hold an SFM probe or an STM probe and comprising a deflection sensor for detecting the deflection of a cantilever in the SFM probe, said head further comprising a first amplification means for amplifying a signal from said deflection sensor, said signal representing the deflection of said cantilever, and a second amplification means for amplifying a signal derived from a tunneling current flowing in the STM probe.
In a scanning probe microscope, a probe comprising a cantilever and a tip, and a deflection sensor for detecting the deflection of said cantilever, said deflection sensor comprising a light source for directing a beam of light against a reflective surface on said cantilever and a linear position-sensitive photodetector for detecting the position of said light beam after it strikes said reflective surface, said light beam striking said linear position-sensitive photodetector at different positions as said cantilever deflects, said linear position-sensitive photodetector providing a continuous, substantially linear output signal in response to the displacement of said beam of light as a result of the deflection of said cantilever.
A method of scanning a sample surface with a scanning probe microscope, said microscope comprising a feedback loop for controlling the relative positions of a probe and a sample along an axis perpendicular to a surface, said feedback loop being adjustable by varying one or more parameters, said method comprising the steps of:
A method of scanning a sample surface with a scanning probe microscope, said method comprising the steps of:
A scanning probe microscope comprising:
A method of using a scanning probe microscope, said scanning probe microscope comprising:
A method of using a scanning probe microscope, said scanning probe microscope comprising:
A scanning probe microscope comprising:
A scanning probe microscope comprising
A coarse movement stage for positioning a sample in relation to a probe in a scanning probe microscope, said probe being contained in a head of said scanning probe microscope, said coarse movement stage comprising first, second and third approach means, said first, second and third approach means making contact with first, second and third contact points, respectively, on the head of said scanning probe microscope, said contact points describing a triangle, each of said approach means being connected to one of a plurality of motors, each of said motors being for driving one of said approach means so as to elevate or lower one of said contact points and thereby alter a position of said head in relation to said sample wherein said first, second and third contact points constitute a kinematic mounting arrangement for said head.
A coarse movement stage for positioning a sample in relation to a probe in a scanning probe microscope, said probe being contained in a head of said scanning probe microscope, said coarse movement stage comprising first, second and third approach means said first, second and third approach means making contact with first, second and third contact points, respectively, on the head of said scanning probe microscope, said contact points describing a triangle, each of said approach means being connected to one of a plurality of motors, each of said motors being for driving one of said approach means so as to elevate or lower one of said contact points and thereby alter a position of said head in relation to said sample, wherein each of said first, second and third approach means comprises a screw threaded through one of a plurality of fixed nuts, each of said fixed nuts being mounted in a base of said scanning probe microscope.
A method for operating a scanning probe microscope for examining a surface of a sample, said microscope having a sample stage movable under motor control along an x axis and along a y axis, said x and y axes being generally parallel to said surface, said microscope further comprising a probe and a scanner, said method comprising the steps of:
A method of positioning a probe of a scanning probe microscope relative to a sample, said scanning probe microscope including an optical microscope, said method comprising the steps of:
A method of operation for operating a scanning microscope, comprising the steps of:
A scanning probe microscope, said microscope comprising a head, a sample platform, and a probe, said probe comprising a cantilever and a tip, said probe being removably, kinematically mounted in said head.
A method of generating a representation of a sample surface by means of a scanning probe microscope, said microscope comprising a probe for sensing characteristics of said sample surface, a sensor for detecting features of said sample surface and generating an error signal, a controller for receiving said error signal and generating a z control signal, said method comprising the steps of:
A method of analyzing a surface of a sample using a scanning probe microscope, said method comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.