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OwnerFrederick I. Linker, Michael D. Kirk +5inventors
InventorsFrederick I. Linker, Michael D. Kirk, John D. Alexander, Sang-il Park, Sung-il Park, Ian R. Smith, Peter R. Swift
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 assembling a probe package and mounting said probe package in a scanning probe microscope, said method comprising the steps of:
A method of operating a scanning probe microscope, said scanning probe microscope comprising a scanner and a cantilever deflection detector, said deflection detector comprising a light source and a position-sensitive photodetector, said method comprising the steps of:
A method of operating a scanning probe microscope, said scanning probe microscope comprising a scanner and a cantilever deflection detector, said deflection detector comprising a light source and a position-sensitive photodetector, said method comprising the steps of:
A scanning probe microscope, said microscope comprising a head and a probe, said probe comprising a cantilever extending from a chip, said chip being removably mounted on a plate by means of three balls and two slots, two of said balls being lodged in one of said slots and the third ball being lodged in the other of said slots.
A scanning probe microscope comprising a probe, a scanner and a head, said head comprising amplification circuitry adapted to amplify signals derived from atomic force microscopy as well as at least one other mode of operating a scanning probe microscope.
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 of said sample, said feedback loop being adjustable by varying one or more parameters, said method comprising the steps of:
A scanning probe microscope comprising:
A scanning probe microscope comprising:
A method of using a scanning probe microscope to analyze a surface of a sample, said microscope including a probe, a sample and a scanner for moving said sample, said method comprising the step of generating a signal representative of a height of a feature on said surface, said signal being substantially independent of any tilting of said sample as said sample is moved by said scanner.
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 method for operating a scanning probe microscope for examining a surface of a sample, said microscope having a sample stage movable 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 adjusting a sensitivity of a scanner in a scanning probe microscope, said scanner having a first end fixed to a base member of said microscope and a free end movable in an arc in response to an input signal applied to said scanner, said fixed end and said free end being separated by a length L, said method comprising the steps of:
A scanning probe microscope, said microscope comprising a head and a probe, said probe comprising a cantilever and a tip, said probe being removably, kinematically mounted in said head by means of a first ball mounted in a first slot, a second ball mounted in a second slot, and a third ball mounted in a third slot, said first, second and third slots being arrayed along respective radial lines extending from a central point.
A scanning probe microscope, said microscope comprising a head and a probe, said probe comprising a cantilever and a chip, said cantilever being connected to said chip, said chip being removably, kinematically mounted in said head.
A scanning probe microscope comprising:
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:
A method of analyzing a surface of a sample using a scanning probe microscope, said scanning probe microscope including a probe and a scanner, said scanner having a fixed end and a free end, said probe or said sample being mounted to said free end of said scanner, said method comprising the steps of:
In a scanning probe microscope, said microscope including:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.