Abstract:
A mounting mechanism for the probe tip of a Scanning Probe Microscope (SPM) includes a scanner supported by a stationary frame, and a kinematic mechanism supported by the scanner. The kinematic mechanism includes at least three protrusions and at least one magnet. The mounting mechanism for the probe tip also includes a chip mount having a hole, a slot and a flat surface. The chip mount, on being held by the magnet, provides an easy way to mount the probe tip without requiring any tools.
Abstract:
Cantilever for a scanning probe microscope (SPM) including a substrate having a tip, a piezoactuator on the substrate movable in response to an external electric signal, and a sensor formed around the piezoactuator so as not to overlap with the piezoactuator, thereby minimizing inner couplings.
Abstract:
A scanning probe microscope uses two different scanners (also called nullscanning stagesnull) that are completely detached each from the other, and are physically separated by a stationary frame. One scanner (called nullx-y scannernull) scans a sample in a plane (also called nullx-y planenull), while the other scanner (called nullz scannernull) scans a probe tip (which is supported at a free end of a cantilever) in a direction (also called nullz directionnull) perpendicular to the plane. Detachment of the two scanners from one another eliminates crosstalk.
Abstract:
Scanning probe microscopes and scanning probe heads are provided having improved optical visualization and sample manipulation capabilities. The SPMs and SPM heads include at least one flexure stage for scanning in the x, y and/or z directions. In a preferred embodiment, the SPMs or SPM heads include flexure stages for scanning in the x, y and z directions. The z scanning stage is preferably positioned outside the lateral footprint of the x-y flexure stage so that a probe extending from the z scanning stage is outside the lateral footprint of the instrument. The SPMs and SPM heads are configured to provide top down and bottom up optical views of the sample and/or the probe and enable simultaneous scanning probe microscopy and optical imaging of a sample to be performed. The SPMs and SPM heads are designed to be readily combinable with existing upright and inverted optical microscopes currently available from various major manufacturers.
Abstract:
An integrated device having a configuration, in which a cantilever and a light source are integrated on a single substrate, and applicable to a variety of fields, for example, ultra-fine quantity sensors, and a method for fabricating such a device. The light source such as LED, LD or SEL and the cantilever are integrated together on a single substrate in such a manner that they are arranged in proximity because the distance between the light source to the cantilever has no influence on the amplification rate. Accordingly, the device of the present invention requires no additional alignment for its constituting elements. In accordance with this configuration, it is possible to greatly reduce the space occupied by the constituting elements. It is also possible to reduce the limitation on the focusing of light. Since the integrated device of the present invention can accurately measure a micro displacement of the cantilever, it can be applied to micro physical quantity sensors. The device can also be used to measure displacement of a SPM tip. In addition, the device of the present invention may be used to achieve an alignment required in optical devices and LD's.
Abstract:
A deflection sensor for a microcantilever includes two sets of interdigitated fingers, one (reference) set being attached to the substrate from which the microcantilever extends and the other (movable) set being attached to the tip of the microcantilever. Together the interdigitated fingers form an optical phase grating. The deflection of the microcantilever is measured by directing a light beam against the optical phase grating and detecting the intensity of the reflected light in the first (or other) component of the resulting diffraction pattern. As the microcantilever deflects, the reference and movable fingers move relative to one another creating large variations in the intensity of the zeroth and first order components of the diffraction pattern. To eliminate "1/f" noise the deflection of the microcantilever can be measured using an AC signal.
Abstract:
An acoustic microscope allowing both the topography and the elasticity of a sample to be measured at the same time. To this end the displacement of a cantilever with a tip is measured by the deflection of a laser beam. In order to measure the topography, the average deviation of the tip is held constant by a regulation circuit. The regulation circuit consists of a split-photodiode which supplies a neutral signal to the output of a normalizing amplifier which delivers a neutral value. Deviations from this neutral signal are compensated by a z-electrode of a piezocrystal. The elastic properties of the sample are measured by coupling ultrasound into the sample by means of a transducer and the high-frequency displacements of the cantilever with the tip are detected by a second detection device that consists of knife-edge detector and a fast photodiode. The detection device may also consist of a heterodyne time-of-flight interferometer or a capacitive detection scheme.
Abstract:
An optical system for a scanning probe microscope provides both an optical on-axis view and an optical oblique view of the sample by two optical paths each providing an image to a CCD camera via an auto-zoom lens. A shutter alternately blocks the image of either view from reaching the auto-zoom lens. The CCD camera provides the optical image to a video display which also displays the scanning probe image, thus eliminating the need for eyepieces and allowing easy viewing of both the optical and scanning probe images simultaneously.
Abstract:
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 quides light emitted from the light source onto a point on a cantilever during scanning thereof. A moving light beam is thus created which will automatically track the movement of the cantilever during scanning. The invention also allows the light 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.
Abstract:
An acoustic microscope allowing both the topography and the elasticity of a sample to be measured at the same time. To this end the displacement of a cantilever with a tip is measured by the deflection of a laser beam. In order to measure the topography, the average deviation of the tip is held constant by a regulation circuit. The regulation circuit consists of a split-photodiode which supplies a neutral signal to the output of a normalizing amplifier which delivers a neutral value. Deviations from this neutral signal are compensated by a z-electrode of a piezocrystal. The elastic properties of the sample are measured by coupling ultrasound into the sample by means of a transducer and the high-frequency displacements of the cantilever with the tip are detected by a second detection device that consists of knife-edge detector and a fast photodiode. The detection device may also consist of a heterodyne time-of-flight interferometer or a capacitive detection scheme.