Atomic force microscope (afm) device and method of operating the same

Abstract

An atomic force microscopy (AFM) device () is disclosed that comprises at least one scan head for scanning a sample (). A first actuator () cooperates with at least one of the scan head or a substrate holder () for moving a probe tip of the scan head and the sample relative to each other in one or more directions parallel to a surface () of the sample for scanning of the surface with the probe tip. A cantilever deflection detector () measures a deflection (d) of the probe relative to the scan head during said scanning, and provides an output signal indicative of the deflection. A controller () of the AFM-device receives and analyzes the output signal from the cantilever deflection detector for measuring a deflection of the probe and automatically adapts one or more imaging parameters during said scanning in accordance with information about sample properties near the location of the sample currently being scanned. The information about sample properties comprises one or more of information from a specification of the sample, a recipe for manufacturing the sample and information obtained from a scanning according to a previous scan line in a direction substantially parallel to the current scan line, or from the current scan line itself.