摘要:
The synchronous sampling scanning force microscope includes a reflective cantilever arm having a free end which is oscillated at a frequency different from the resonance frequency of the cantilever arm. The motion of the oscillating cantilever arm is measured, to generate a deflection signal indicative of the amplitude of deflection or phase shift of the cantilever arm. Selected portions of cycles of the output signal are sampled, for generating output signal data indicative of deflection of the near and far excursions of the probe. The method and apparatus permit monitoring of compliance of the surface of the specimen by multiple sampling at a rate greater than the period of oscillation of the cantilever probe of the microscope.
摘要:
A Runout, Velocity, Acceleration includes direct measurement of velocity by use of a Doppler laser, and determines runout by integration of the velocity information while determining acceleration by differentiating the velocity information, with appropriate correction for sources of error. A menu driven system permits the user to select from a variety of options for testing of rotating objects and manipulation, storage and display of the data. A novel windowing technique permits the display of multiple child windows, each having its own set of pull down menus for use in connection with that child window.
摘要:
A method and apparatus for high resolution mapping of the chemical composition of a thin film utilizes scanning probe microscopy techniques. The sample to be studied is prepared as a thin film disposed on a conductive backing electrode. A sensitive electrometer is connected to the backing electrode to detect current passing through it. According to a first aspect of the invention, a force sensing cantilever is scanned relative to the sample surface a plurality of times. Topographic information about the sample surface is obtained in a conventional manner by studying deflections of the cantilever or feedback current used to minimize deflections of the cantilever. Simultaneously, a voltage is applied to the probe tip. This voltage, through a tunneling current to the backing electrode, causes reduction and/or oxidation reactions in the sample surface. On successive scans, different voltages may be used. In this way, the tunneling current at each of a number of different voltages for each location in the sample surface is obtained. Because specific oxidation and reduction reactions take place only at well defined voltages, it is possible, from the current measured at a certain location and a certain applied voltage at that location, to deduce what the chemical located at that location is. According to a second aspect of the invention, a scanning tunneling microscope mechanism may be used instead of a force sensing mechanism.
摘要:
A cantilever for an atomic force microscope includes a probe and a cantilever body supporting the probe, the probe deflecting in response to an atomic force between said probe and a sample, at least the surface of the probe including one of a resist film and a sputtered film. One method of manufacturing the cantilever includes selectively etching the surface of a silicon substrate to form an etch pit, forming a resist film in at least the etch pit, forming a nitride film on the resist film, forming a glass base plate on the nitride film in a predetermined area not including the etch pit, and removing the silicon substrate. An atomic force microscope is also provided in which the cantilever is used to measure an atomic force between a sample and the probe having a desired film on a surface. A sample surface evaluating method is further provided by which the adhesion between the desired film or substance and the sample surface can be evaluated quantitatively from the measured atomic force without damaging the sample surface.
摘要:
A scanned-stylus atomic force microscope (AFM) employing the optical lever technique, and method of operating the same. The AFM of the invention includes a light source and a scanned optical assembly which guides a light beam emitted from the laser source onto a point on said cantilever during scanning thereof. A moving laser beam is thus created which will automatically track the movement of the cantilever during scanning. The invention also allows the laser beam to be used to measure, calibrate or correct the motion of the scanning mechanism, and further allows viewing of the sample and cantilever using an optical microscope.
摘要:
An apparatus for visual inspection detects defects on an object to be inspected, stores the defects, calculates the distance between two detected defects from the positions of the two detected defects, and judges the two detected defects to be different portions of a single actual defect when the distance between the two defects is less than a predetermined threshold value. The apparatus also stores the actual defects, as well as class-of-actual-defect inference rules necessary for inferring the class of the actual defects from the class of each detected defect. The class of the actual defect is judged from the class of each detected defect on the basis of the class-of-actual-defect inference rules, and the class of the actual defect is then stored. A method of visual inspection and a method of removing the cause of an abnormality are also disclosed.
摘要:
A method of operating an atomic force microscope having a probe tip attached to a free end of a lever which is fixed at its other, wherein the probe tip is scanned in forward and reverse directions in a common scanline across the surface of a sample and either the deflection of the lever or the height of the sample is detected during the forward and reverse scans. The difference between the deflection of the lever or the sample height in the forward and reverse scans is determined as a relative measure of friction. A signal relating to the normal force applied to the sample, can be determined and based thereon, a coefficient of friction of the simple is determined. The signal relating to normal force is derived either from a force curve, or by scanning the probe at different force setpoints. To enhance accuracy of topographical data, the scanning angle is varied in order to minimize differences between the probe deflection (or sample height) during scanning in the forward and reverse directions. Once it is determined which angle results in minimum difference in data obtained during scanning in the forward and reverse directions in a common scanline, topographical data is obtained by scanning the sample at that angle. Frictional data is obtained by scanning at that angle which maximizes the difference between data obtained in forward and reverse scanning directions in a common scanline.
摘要:
A displacement element including a substrate having electrodes and a cantilever provided on the substrate, wherein the cantilever is formed from a semiconductor material and has at least two electrostatic driving electrodes formed by diffusing an impurity into a semiconductor material.
摘要:
A scanning type probe microscope apparatus for measuring a surface state of a sample by scanning the sample by use of a probe is disclosed. In the apparatus, the sample is inclined relative to a scan direction of the probe by a inclination mechanism. Of a signal component corresponding to the surface state of the sample, a signal component having an optional space frequency is selected to be detected by a detecting circuit. The inclination mechanism is controlled on the basis of a detection result of the detecting circuit.
摘要:
A compound type microscope is provided which can observe the measurement sample of an atomic force microscope (AFM) by means of an optical microscope. This compound type microscope is comprised of an optical microscope having an objective and an observation optical system, a cantilever having a reflecting surface and detecting an atomic force, an irradiating optical system for applying a spotlight to the cantilver, a detector for detecting the displacement of reflected light caused by the displacement of the cantilever, and a sample stage for placing a sample thereon. The arrangement can be designed to accommodate the use of a scanning tunnel type microscope (STM) interchangeably with the AFM so that the sample can be measured by the STM instead of by the AFM. To this end, the probe of the STM can be detachably mountable coaxially with respect to the objective of the optical microscope, whereby the probe of the STM and the cantilever of the AFM can be selectively disposed below the objective.