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:
Apr. 24, 2007
Filed:
Nov. 03, 2005
Thomas Moore, Dallas, TX (US);
Lyudmila Zaykova-feldman, Dallas, TX (US);
Thomas Moore, Dallas, TX (US);
Lyudmila Zaykova-Feldman, Dallas, TX (US);
Omniprobe, Inc., Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
We disclose an apparatus and method for detecting probe-tip contact with a surface, generally inside a focused ion-beam instrument, where the probe tip is attached to a capsule, and the capsule is movably secured in a probe shaft. There is a fiber-optic cable having a first end and a second end; a beam splitter having first and second output ports; and a light source connected to the beam splitter. The first output port of the beam splitter is connected to the first end of the fiber-optic cable, and the second output port of the beam splitter is connected to a photodiode. The second end of the fiber-optic cable has a mirror for reflecting incident light at approximately a ninety-degree angle to the axis of the optical path in the fiber-optic cable and onto the capsule, so that the intensity of the light reflected back from the capsule through the fiber-optic cable is proportional to the deflection of the capsule as the probe tip makes contact with the surface.