The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 04, 1990
Filed:
Dec. 04, 1989
Virgil B Elings, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
Peter Maivald, Goleta, CA (US);
Digital Instruments, Inc., Santa Barbara, CA (US);
Abstract
In a scanning probe microscope having a probe moved by a piezoelectric 3-dimensional positioner in perpendicular X and Y directions over the surface of a sample to create a raster scan thereof and feedback controlled and sensed in a Z direction vertical to the surface to gather data about the topography of the surface, this is a method of operating the piezoelectric 3-dimensional positioner to increase the speed of gathering data about a scanning area of the surface being scanned. The method comprises the steps of, causing the positioner to traverse the surface from a first edge of the scanning area with the probe in a +X direction at a first rate of speed while feedback controlling and sensing the Z direction; causing the positioner to lift the probe above the surface a clearance distance at a second edge of the scanning area opposite the first edge in the +X direction; and, causing the positioner to return the probe to the first edge in a -X direction without feedback control thereof at a second rate of speed which is faster than the first rate of speed.