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:
Feb. 23, 1999
Filed:
Oct. 16, 1997
David J Ray, Mendon, NY (US);
Raymax Technology, Inc., Agoura Hills, CA (US);
Abstract
A scanning force microscope employs a laser (76) which creates a laser beam (26). The laser and a probe assembly (24) are mounted in a removable probe illuminator assembly (22). The removable probe illumination assembly is mounted to the moving portion of a scanning mechanism. The scanning mechanism creates relative movement between the probe illuminator assembly and a sample (28). The removal of the probe illuminator assembly permits alignment of said laser beam onto a cantilever (30) after removal of said illuminator assembly from the microscope. This prevents damage to, and shortens alignment time of, the microscope during replacement and alignment of the probe assembly.