Resonance contact scanning force microscope
AssigneeTopometrix
InventorRonald C. Gamble
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The resonance contact scanning force microscope includes a reflective cantilever arm which is oscillated at a high harmonic of the resonance frequency of the cantilever arm, while the probe tip is maintained in substantially constant contact with the surface of the specimen. The motion of the free end of the cantilever arm is measured, to generate a deflection signal indicative of the amount of actual deflection of the probe tip. The method and apparatus permit high speed scans and real time imaging of the surface of a specimen with a substantial reduction in noise normally arising due to tip-surface interaction and acoustic noise.
Claims9
In a resonance contact scanning force microscope for examining surface contours of a specimen, the microscope having a fundamental resonance frequency, a probe secured to said cantilever arm having a probe tip adapted to follow the surface contours of the specimen, the improvement comprising:
- an oscillator driver for causing the cantilever arm to oscillate at a desired resonance harmonic frequency of said fundamental resonance frequency to substantially reduce background noise.
In a method for operating a scanning force microscope in a resonance contact mode for examining surface contours of a specimen, the microscope having a cantilever arm having a fundamental resonance frequency, and a probe secured to the cantilever arm having a probe tip adapted to follow the surface contours of the specimen, the method including the steps of scanning the specimen relative to the probe tip, and measuring deflection of the cantilever arm, the improvement in the method comprising the step of:
- oscillating said cantilever arm relative to the surface of said specimen at a desired harmonic frequency of said fundamental resonance frequency to substantially reduce background noise.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.