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:
Dec. 27, 2016
Filed:
Jul. 26, 2011
Applicants:
Huiwen Liu, Eden Prairie, MN (US);
Peter Gunderson, Ellsworth, WI (US);
Lin Zhou, Eagan, MN (US);
Inventors:
Assignee:
SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC, Cupertino, CA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01Q 10/06 (2010.01); B82Y 35/00 (2011.01); G01Q 30/06 (2010.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B82Y 35/00 (2013.01); G01Q 10/06 (2013.01); G01Q 30/06 (2013.01);
Abstract
In certain embodiments, a probe scans a surface to produce a first scan. The first scan is used to estimate a vertical offset for scanning the surface to produce a second scan. In certain embodiments, an AFM device engages a probe to a surface using a piezo voltage. The probe scans the surface to produce a first scan. The first scan is used to estimate a vertical offset such that the probe uses the piezo voltage to engage the surface for a second scan at a different vertical position.