System for locating a feature of a surface

A method for locating a feature of a surface, said feature having dimensions, comprising the steps of:

• (a) defining a first target area of the surface for sensing of the feature on the surface;
• (b) scanning a probe tip of a profilometer or scanning probe microscope over the first target area of the surface and sensing the feature wherein the dimensions of the feature are taken into account;
• and
• (c) stopping scanning the tip after the feature is sensed by the probe tip irrespective of whether the entire first target area has been scanned
• wherein said sensing step senses the feature through physical contact of the tip with the surface, and wherein said sensing step includes:
• causing intermittent contact of the tip with the surface, wherein after each of at least some of such contacts, the tip is raised to a height above the surface after each contact, moved laterally across the surface and lowered until the tip touches the surface;
• and
• measuring the distance by which the tip is lowered said method further comprising sensing the feature by monitoring position of the tip.

A method for locating a feature of a surface, said feature having dimensions, comprising the steps of:

• (a) defining a first target area of the surface for sensing of the feature on the surface;
• (b) scanning a probe tip of a profilometer or scanning probe microscope over the first target area of the surface and sensing the feature wherein the dimensions of the feature are taken into account;
• and
• (c) stopping scanning the tip after the feature is sensed by the probe tip, irrespective of whether the entire first target area has been scanned;
• said scanning step being performed with the tip being in intermittent or substantially constant contact with the surface, said scanning step including causing the tip repeatedly to be touching and be lifted from the surface, wherein said causing step causes the tip to drag along the surface.

A method for locating a feature of a surface, said feature having dimensions comprising the steps of:

• (a) defining a first target area of the surface for sensing of the feature on the surface;
• (b) scanning a probe tip of a profilometer or scanning probe microscope over the first target area of the surface and sensing the feature wherein the dimensions of the feature are taken into account;
• and
• (c) stopping scanning the tip after the feature is sensed by the probe tip, irrespective of whether the entire first target area has been scanned, said scanning step including:
• selecting a random sequence of at least one location in the target area;
• and
• causing the tip to be positioned sequentially at each of said locations in the sequence until the feature is sensed.

The method for locating and measuring a feature of a surface, said feature having dimensions, comprising the step of:

• (a) defining a target area of the surface for sensing of the feature on the surface;
• (b) scanning a probe tip of a profilometer or scanning probe microscope over the target area of the surface and sensing the feature wherein the dimensions of the feature are taken into account;
• (c) stopping scanning the tip after the feature is sensed by the probe tip, irrespective of whether the entire target area has ben scanned;
• and
• (d) measuring the feature using the tip, said scanning step (b) comprising scanning the probe tip along a first scan line segment in a scan;
• and said method further comprising a step (e) of, when the feature is not sensed in any prior scan, moving the probe tip by an offset from the immediately preceding scan segment and scanning the probe tip along a scan line segment substantially parallel to the first scan line segment;
• wherein step (e) is repeated where necessary until the feature is sensed.

The method for locating and measuring a feature of a surface, said feature having dimensions, comprising the steps of:

• (a) defining a target area of the surface for sensing of the feature on the surface;
• (b) scanning a probe tip of a profilometer or scanning probe microscope over the target area of the surface and sensing the feature wherein the dimensions of the feature are taken into account;
• (c) stopping scanning the tip after the feature is sensed by the probe tip irrespective of whether the entire target area has been scanned;
• and
• (d) measuring the feature using the tip, wherein the feature is sensed by the tip during the scanning step (b) by means of a first parameter, said measuring step measuring the feature by means of a second parameter, wherein the first and second parameters are different.

The method for locating and measuring a feature of a surface, said feature having dimensions, comprising the steps of:

• (a) defining a target area of the surface for sensing of the feature on the surface;
• (b) scanning a probe tip of a profilometer or scanning probe microscope over the target of the surface and sensing the feature wherein the dimensions of the feature are taken into account;
• (c) stopping scanning the tip after the feature is sensed by the probe tip, irrespective of whether the entire target area has been scanned;
• and
• (d) measuring the feature using the tip, said method further comprising locating a center of the feature, wherein the measuring step measures the feature substantially at the center of the feature.

The method for locating and measuring a feature of a surface, said feature having dimensions, comprising the steps of

• (a) defining a target area of the surface for sensing of the feature on the surface;
• (b) scanning a probe tip of a profilometer or scanning probe microscope over the target area of the surface and sensing the feature wherein the dimensions of the feature are taken into account;
• (c) stopping scanning the tip after the feature is sensed by the probe tip, irrespective of whether the entire target area has been scanned;
• and
• (d) measuring the feature using the tip, wherein said scanning step scans the tip along a first predetermined path said method further comprising:
• scanning the tip across the surface not alone said predetermined path, but along a second path;
• said stopping step stopping the scan along said first predetermined path, irrespective of whether the retire target area has been scanned along said predetermined path;
• scanning the tip across the surface not along said first predetermined path, but along a second path;
• sensing information on the feature along said first predetermined path;
• and
• using said information to determine said second path.

A method for locating a feature on or in a surface of a laser textured hard disk, said feature including a bump or valley, comprising the steps of:

• (a) defining a target area of the surface for sensing of the feature on the surface;
• (b) scanning a probe tip of a profilometer or scanning probe microscope over the target area of the surface and sensing the feature;
• and
• (c) stopping scanning the tip after the feature is sensed by the probe tip, irrespective of whether the entire target area has been scanned.

A method for locating and measuring a feature on or in a surface of a laser textured hard disk, said feature including a bump or valley, comprising the steps of:

• (a) defining a target area of the surface for sensing of the feature on the surface;
• (b) scanning a probe tip of a profilometer or scanning probe microscope over the target area of the surface and sensing the feature;
• (c) stopping scanning the tip after the feature is sensed by the probe tip, irrespective of whether the entire target area has been scanned;
• and
• (d) measuring the feature.