Wyko, Inc.

Jamshid Jahanmir

John B Hayes

Eric M Frey

A scanning probe microscope includes a base, an inner piezoelectric tube, and an outer PMN translator arrangement including three PMN posts, with first ends of the PMN posts connected to the base. A first end of the inner piezoelectric tube is rigidly connected to second ends of the PMN posts. Inner quadrant conductors are disposed on the inner surfaces of the inner piezoelectric tube, and outer quadrant conductors are disposed on the outer surfaces of the inner piezoelectric tube. Separate x and y scan control voltage signals are applied to corresponding opposed quadrant conductors of the inner piezoelectric tube to control scanning of the free end of the inner tube in the x and y directions. A z scan control voltage is produced by a servo control circuit in response to a probe signal and applied to the PMN posts, which have negligible hysteresis. The servo control circuit refers to a look-up table to correct non-linearities of the PMN posts.

PMN translator and linearization system in scanning probe microscope

A scanning probe microscope includes a base, an inner piezoelectric tube, and an outer piezoelectric tube, with a first end of the outer piezoelectric tube connected to the base. A first end of the inner piezoelectric tube is rigidly connected to a second end of the outer piezoelectric tube. Thin inner conductors are disposed on the inner surfaces of the inner piezoelectric tube and the outer piezoelectric tube, and quadrant conductors are disposed on the outer surfaces of the inner piezoelectric tube and the outer piezoelectric tube. Separate x, y, and z scan control voltage signals are applied to various quadrant conductors of the inner and outer piezoelectric tubes to control scanning of the free end of the inner tube in the x, y, and z directions, respectively.

Compact temperature-compensated tube-type scanning probe with large scan

A scanning probe microscope includes a base, an inner piezoelectric tube, and an outer piezoelectric tube, with a first end of the outer piezoelectric tube connected to the base. A first end of the inner piezoelectric tube is rigidly connected to a second end of the outer piezoelectric tube. Thin inner conductors are disposed on the inner surfaces of the inner piezoelectric tube and the other piezoelectric tube, and quadrant conductors are disposed on the outer surfaces of the inner piezoelectric tube and the outer piezoelectric tube. Variable voltages are applied to the quadrant conductors of the outer piezoelectric tube and the inner piezoelectric tube and varied to cause lateral and axial movement of the second end of the outer piezoelectric tube and also to cause lateral and perpendicular movement of the second end of the inner piezoelectric tube relative to its first end. A probe having a tip is connected to the second end of the inner piezoelectric tube and scans the surface of a sample in response to the applied quadrant conductor voltages. A control system senses current or other parameter sensed by the tip of the probe and indicative of distance of the probe tip from the scanned surface to control application of the quadrant voltages.

Growing community of inventors

Tucson, AZ, United States of America

Jamshid Jahanmir