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US 8,136,389 B2Granted
Probe tip assembly for scanning probe microscopes
AssigneeAgilent Technologies, Inc.
InventorsRichard Paul Tella, George M. Clifford, Jr., Richard R. Workman, Storrs Townsend Hoen, David Patrick Fromm
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A probe assembly for a scanning probe microscope (SPM), a cartridge for a probe assembly for an SPM, and a method of attaching a probe tip to an SPM are described.
Claims18
A probe assembly for a scanning probe microscope (SPM), comprising:
- a cartridge configured to mount to a base, the cartridge comprising:
- an alignment fiducial adapted to engage a respective alignment fiducial of the base;
- a probe tip extending from a cantilever;
- and
- a translational actuator operative to move the probe tip in a direction;
- the cartridge defining a complementary guide member hole adapted to engage a guide member protruding from the base, a first seating member hole adapted to engage a first complementary seating member protruding from the base, and a second seating member hole adapted to engage a second complementary seating member protruding from the base, when the cartridge is properly located for kinematic mounting to the base.
3 more elements
A cartridge configured for mounting to a base of a probe assembly for a scanning probe microscope (SPM), the cartridge comprising:
- a probe tip extending from a cantilever;
- a translational actuator operative to move the probe tip in a direction;
- and
- an alignment fiducial adapted to kinematically mount the probe tip to the base of the SPM;
- the cartridge defining a complementary guide member hole adapted to receive a guide member on the base of the SPM, a first seating member hole operative to engage a first complementary seating member on the base, and a second seating member hole operative to engage a second complementary seating member on the base, when the cartridge is properly located for kinematic mounting.
2 more elements
A probe assembly for a scanning probe microscope (SPM), comprising:
- a base affixed to the SPM, the base comprising a protruding guide member and at least one alignment fiducial;
- and
- a cartridge configured to removably mount to the base and defining a complementary guide member hole adapted to engage the protruding guide member of the base, the cartridge comprising:
- a probe tip extending from a cantilever;
- a translational actuator operative to move the probe tip in a direction;
- and
- at least one alignment fiducial corresponding to the at least one alignment
- fiducial of the base for kinematic mounting of the cartridge to the base,
- wherein the base and the cartridge have complementary engagement means for providing registration of the cartridge on a plane parallel to a surface of the cartridge to ensure proper location of the cartridge for kinematic alignment.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.