International Business Machines Corporation

Martin A Klos

Kenneth Gilbert Roessler

James Michael Hammond

Robert M Stowell

Yves Corfield Martin

David William Abraham

Hemantha Kumar Wickramasinghe

Edwin Flecha

Robert Marshall Stowell

A scanning probe microscope includes probe moved into and out of engagement with a sample surface by a combination of deflections occurring within a fast actuator, having a relatively small range of motion, and a slow actuator, having a relatively large range of motion. When the deflection of the fast actuator is moved outside a predetermined range, in which such deflection is a linear function of applied voltage, the slow actuator is operated so that subsequent operation of the fast actuator can return the fast actuator to its predetermined range, Furthermore, when it is necessary to operate the slow actuator in this way, a scanning motion moving the sample surface past the probe is stopped until the probe is brought into a correct level of engagement with the sample surface, with the fast actuator deflected within the predetermined range.

Method for improving measurement accuracy using active lateral scanning

A dual quad flexure carriage and assembly, for receiving a sensing probe, is used for scanning the sensing probe across a target surface. The flexure carriage is a unitary structure providing flat motion for the sensing probe during the scanning procedure, while further compensating for thermal creep. The dual quad flexure assembly comprises the dual quad flexure carriage along with piezo actuators and control systems to provide highly linear orthogonal motion.

Dual quad flexure scanner

A non-contact, step-wise method for automatically positioning a sensing probe, having a vibrating cantilever and tip, above a target surface utilizing acoustic and Van der Waals interactions respectively during an approach method. The sensing probe is lowered to a substantially optimized tip to target surface distance. The system utilizes the interaction of forces between the vibrating cantilever and target surface to automatically position the sensing probe above the target surface.

Automatic tip approach method and apparatus for scanning probe microscope

A sample carriage, for receiving a sample to be scanned and positionable in a scanning probe microscope, is used for physically decoupling the sample from the scanning probe microscope assembly. The sample carriage, constructed from low thermal coefficient material, is physically decoupled by releasably clamping a sample carriage to a bridge support.

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Boca Raton, FL, United States of America

Martin A Klos