Three-dimensional nanoscale metrology using FIRAT probe
AssigneeGeorgia Institute of Technology
InventorFahrettin Levent Degertekin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, there is a force sensor for a probe based instrument. The force sensor can comprise a detection surface and a flexible mechanical structure disposed a first distance above the detection surface so as to form a gap between the flexible mechanical structure and the detection surface wherein the flexible mechanical structure is configured to deflect upon exposure to an external force, thereby changing the first distance over a selected portion of the gap, the change in distance at the selected portion orienting a probe tip of the force sensor for multi-directional measurement.
Claims48
A device for measuring topography of microscale and nanoscale three dimensional structures comprising:
- a detection surface;
- a flexible mechanical structure disposed a first distance above the detection surface so as to form a gap between the flexible mechanical structure and the detection surface, wherein the flexible mechanical structure is configured to deflect at selected portions thereof upon exposure to an external force, thereby changing the first distance at the selected portions;
- a probe tip positioned on the flexible mechanical structure, the probe tip moving in multi-directional motion according to a movement of the flexible mechanical structure;
- and
- at least two spaced apart actuators, each disposed so as to be configured to apply selectively a separate force to a region of the flexible mechanical structure so as to displace the probe tip in more than one dimension.
A system for actuating a force sensor probe tip in three-dimensional space, the system comprising:
- a detection surface;
- a flexible mechanical structure disposed a first distance above the detection surface so as to form a gap between the flexible mechanical structure and the detection surface, wherein the flexible mechanical structure is configured to deflect upon exposure to an external force, thereby changing the first distance;
- the force sensor probe tip mounted to the flexible mechanical structure;
- at least one bottom electrode contacting the detection surface;
- and
- at least two spaced apart actuator electrodes contacting the flexible mechanical structure, wherein the bottom electrode and the actuator electrodes are configured to actuate the flexible mechanical structure and correspondingly generate multi-directional probe tip motion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.