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Microwave impedance microscopy using a tuning fork

  • US 10,060,862 B2
  • Filed: 04/05/2017
  • Issued: 08/28/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2016
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A microwave impedance microscope, comprising:

  • a support having a support surface for supporting a sample to be tested;

    a tuning fork which has two tines extending parallel to a fork axis with a gap there between and being caused to vibrate with respect to the fork axis in response to an oscillatory signal applied thereto;

    a probe electrode formed from a metal member having a tapered probe tip extending parallel to a probe axis generally perpendicular to the support surface for a height H between a rim and an apex of the tapered probe tip and having an aspect ratio AR of at least 3 between the height H and a rim diameter DR of the rim, wherein at least a portion of the metal member including the tapered probe tip is fixed to one of the two tines and projects to the sample along the probe axis; and

    microwave circuitry for impressing an incident microwave signal to the tapered probe tip, for receiving a reflected microwave signal from an interaction of the incident microwave signal with the sample, and for producing at least one output signal representing an electrical characteristic of the sample.

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