For the Inventor, By the Inventor

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Santa Barbara, CA, United States of America

Digital Instruments

USPTO Granted Patents = 40

Trademarks = 3

Forward Citations = 1,760

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25 inventors (with patents filed for the assignee):

Virgil B Elings (37 out of 51 patents)

John A Gurley (25 out of 25 patents)

David A Grigg (5 out of 11 patents)

4. Craig B Prater (5 out of 6 patents)

5. James Massie (4 out of 13 patents)

6. Paul K Hansma (4 out of 29 patents)

7. Barney Drake (4 out of 10 patents)

8. Peter Maivald (3 out of 3 patents)

9. Charles R Meyer (2 out of 4 patents)

10. Dror Sarid (2 out of 3 patents)

11. Kevin Kjoller (1 out of 33 patents)

12. Allen J Bard (1 out of 47 patents)

13. Jason Paul Cleveland (1 out of 53 patents)

14. Fu-Ren F Fan (1 out of 10 patents)

15. Boris Anczykowski (1 out of 2 patents)

Core Competencies:

Scanning Probe Microscope

Atomic Force Microscope

Feedback Control

Energy Dissipation

Vertical Metrology

Mechanical Properties

Cantilever Tracking

Tapping Mode

Drift Compensation

Compact Design

Positioning Device

Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy

40 patents: Sort by Forward Citations

1. RE37203 - Feedback control for scanning tunnel microscopes (2001-06-05),

2. 6038916 - Method and apparatus for measuring energy dissipation by a probe during (2000-03-21),

3. 6032518 - Scanning stylus atomic force microscope with cantilever tracking and (2000-03-07),

4. 6008489 - Method for improving the operation of oscillating mode atomic force (1999-12-28),

5. 5898106 - Method and apparatus for obtaining improved vertical metrology (1999-04-27),

6. 5866807 - Method and apparatus for measuring mechanical properties on a small scale (1999-02-02),

7. 5714682 - Scanning stylus atomic force microscope with cantilever tracking and (1998-02-03),

8. 5705814 - Scanning probe microscope having automatic probe exchange and alignment (1998-01-06),

9. 5560244 - Scanning stylus atomic force microscope with cantilever tracking and (1996-10-01),

10. 5557156 - Scan control for scanning probe microscopes (1996-09-17),

11. 5553487 - Methods of operating atomic force microscopes to measure friction (1996-09-10),

12. 5519212 - Tapping atomic force microscope with phase or frequency detection (1996-05-21),

13. 5463897 - Scanning stylus atomic force microscope with cantilever tracking and (1995-11-07),

14. 5418363 - Scanning probe microscope using stored data for vertical probe (1995-05-23),

15. 5415027 - Jumping probe microscope (1995-05-16),

Company Overview

Digital Instruments, based in Santa Barbara, CA, specializes in advanced scanning probe microscopy technologies. The company is recognized for its innovative solutions in atomic force microscopy, enabling precise measurement of mechanical properties and energy dissipation at the nanoscale. Their expertise extends to feedback control systems, vertical metrology, and drift compensation techniques, which enhance imaging capabilities and accuracy. Digital Instruments plays a pivotal role in advancing research across various scientific fields, including materials science and nanotechnology.

Profile summary synthesized from public USPTO records and patent filings.

Company Badge

USPTO Data Jan 1 1976 - Oct 6 2026

40 Patents

#12 in Santa Barbara, CA

#2,035 in California

#8,618 in US

#17,048 in the World

Santa Barbara, CA, United States of America

Digital Instruments

Forward Citations = 1,760

25 inventors:

Virgil B Elings (37 out of 51 patents)

John A Gurley (25 out of 25 patents)

David A Grigg (5 out of 11 patents)

4. Craig B Prater (5 out of 6 patents)

5. James Massie (4 out of 13 patents)

IDiyas Innovation Intelligence. (2026). Company Patent Portfolio: Digital Instruments. Retrieved from https://idiyas.com/company/digital-instruments

Data source: USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) public patent records. Weekly synchronization. How IDiyas builds this profile

Data Sources: USPTO Patent Grant XML, Patent Center, EPO & CIPO • Normalized by IDiyas Innovation Graph. Methodology & provenance architecturePlease report any incorrect information to [email protected]

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