International Business Machines Corporation

Heinrich Rohrer

Gerd K Binnig

Peter Vettiger

Walter Haeberle

Edmund Weibel

Christoph E Gerber

Jerry M Woodall

Rodney T Hodgson

Pierre L Gueret

Hermann E Nievergelt

Randall M Feenstra

Jurgen Brugger

Douglas P Smith

Mechanical signal producer based on micromechanical oscillators and

Mechanically coupled alternatively usable cantilever structures for

The invention relates to a positioning apparatus, providing for an excursion of a tool (12) with respect to a sample or medium to be interacted with. The positioning apparatus comprises apparatus for applying a driving force (F.sub.D) which causes the excursion of the tool (12). Counteracting apparatus is provided which exerts a counteracting force (F.sub.C) to the driving force (F.sub.D). The counteracting apparatus comprises a deformable substance (25) which is mechanically coupled to the tool (12) and effects the counteracting force (F.sub.C) and further comprises adjustment means (28) allowing to adjust the deformability of the deformable substance (25).

Positioning apparatus

The present invention concerns a storage device comprising a local probe array (72) and a storage medium (70) with an array of storage fields (71). The local probe array (72) is situated opposite to the storage medium (70) such that each local probes (73) of the local probe array can be scanned over the corresponding storage field (71). The storage device further comprises circuit for distinguishing between information to be erased from a first section of the storage medium and information in this section which is not to be erased, circuit for selectively copying the information which is not to be erased into a memory, preferably another section of said medium, and circuit for erasing the whole first section.

Mass-storage applications of local probe arrays

Fine positioning apparatus with atomic resolution

A cantilever for scanning probe microscopy and other force or deflection measurements is described. The cantilever includes at least one one integrated strain sensing element within a constriction section (62) . The cantilever is improved over known cantilevers by reducing the longitudinal extension of the constriction, such that its contribution to the total deflection of the cantilever is reduced. The design of the cantilever is further improved by applying a beam (63) with an essentially triangular cross section in either a vertical or a horizontal plane or both.

Cantilever with integrated deflection sensor

The vibration filter comprises an inner ring (27) on which vibration-sensitive equipment may be installed, the ring (27) being suspended from a plurality of springs (24, 25, 26) elastically supported by posts (18, 19, 20) in turn mounted on an outer ring (1) which is spring-suspended the same as the inner ring (27) from a rigid bench (8). The springs (12, 13, 14; 24, 25, 26) and other elastic members (9, 10, 11; 15, 16, 17; 21, 22, 23; 28, 29, 30) have differing resonant frequencies. Between the bench (8) and the outer ring (1), and between the outer and inner rings (1, 27) there may be provided eddy current brakes consisting of strong permanent magnets (46, 48) arranged opposite individual copper or aluminum blocks (5, 47).

High-performance vibration filter

The formation of lines of the order of 8 Angstroms wide is achieved using a tunneling current through a gas that changes to provide a residue that is the basis of the line. The tunneling current energy is tuned to the energy required to dissociate the gas.

Narrow line width pattern fabrication

This method involves the deposition of free metal atoms (4) from the apex (5) of a pointed tip (1) supported at a distance of 10 to 20 nm from a substrate (2). The atoms (4) are being field-desorbed under the influence of a strong electric field existing between the tip (1) and the substrate (2). With the tip (1) being moved across the substrate (2), a narrow trace (6) of metal atoms will be deposited on the substrate.

Method for depositing material with nanometer dimensions

The travelling support (1) comprises a piezo-electric plate (2) resting on three legs (6) whose bottom surface is insulated from the bench (8) on which the support is to travel, by a dielectric (7). The piezo-electric plate (2) can be caused to contract by means of an actuating voltage applied via sliders (9, 10) to top and bottom electrodes on the plate (2). By applying a voltage to the legs (6), these may be clamped selectively by electrostatic forces effective across the dielectric (7). Appropriate control of the actuating and clamping voltages causes the support (1) to either move in a linear or rotary fashion. The displacements the support can perform per step are in the nanometer range.

Piezo-electric travelling support

The vacuum tunnel effect is utilized to form a scanning tunneling microscope. In an ultra-high vacuum at cryogenic temperature, a fine tip is raster scanned across the surface of a conducting sample at a distance of a few Angstroms. The vertical separation between the tip and sample surface is automatically controlled so as to maintain constant a measured variable which is proportional to the tunnel resistance, such as tunneling current. The position of the tip with respect to the surface is controlled preferably by piezo electric drive means acting in three coordinate directions. The spatial coordinates of the scanning tip are graphically displayed. This is conveniently done by displaying the drive currents or voltages of piezo electric drives.

Growing community of inventors

Richterswil, Switzerland

Heinrich Rohrer