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. 05, 2013
Filed:
Oct. 14, 2009
Roger Proksch, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
Mario Viani, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
Jason Cleveland, Ventura, CA (US);
Maarten Rutgers, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Matthew Klonowski, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
Daren Walters, Goleta, CA (US);
James Hodgson, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
Jonathan Hensel, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
Paul Costales, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
Anil Gannepalli, Goleta, CA (US);
Roger Proksch, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
Mario Viani, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
Jason Cleveland, Ventura, CA (US);
Maarten Rutgers, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Matthew Klonowski, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
Daren Walters, Goleta, CA (US);
James Hodgson, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
Jonathan Hensel, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
Paul Costales, Santa Barbara, CA (US);
Anil Gannepalli, Goleta, CA (US);
Asylum Research Corporation, Goleta, CA (US);
Abstract
A modular AFM/SPM which provides faster measurements, in part through the use of smaller probes, of smaller forces and movements, free of noise artifacts, that the old generations of these devices have increasingly been unable to provide. The modular AFM/SPM includes a chassis, the foundation on which the modules of the instrument are supported; a view module providing the optics for viewing the sample and the probe; a head module providing the components for the optical lever arrangement and for steering and focusing those components; a scanner module providing the XYZ translation stage that actuates the sample in those dimensions and the engage mechanism; a isolation module that encloses the chassis and provides acoustic and/or thermal isolation for the instrument and an electronics module which, together with the separate controller, provide the electronics for acquiring and processing images and controlling the other functions of the instrument. All these modules and many of their subassemblies are replaceable and potentially upgradeable. This allows updating to new technology as it becomes available.