BAND EXCITATION METHOD APPLICABLE TO SCANNING PROBE MICROSCOPY
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- generating a band excitation signal;
simultaneously exciting a probe at a plurality of frequencies within a predetermined frequency band using the band excitation signal; and
measuring a response of the probe across a subset of frequencies of the predetermined frequency band.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus are described for scanning probe microscopy. A method includes generating a band excitation (BE) signal having finite and predefined amplitude and phase spectrum in at least a first predefined frequency band; exciting a probe using the band excitation signal; obtaining data by measuring a response of the probe in at least a second predefined frequency band; and extracting at least one relevant dynamic parameter of the response of the probe in a predefined range including analyzing the obtained data. The BE signal can be synthesized prior to imaging (static band excitation), or adjusted at each pixel or spectroscopy step to accommodate changes in sample properties (adaptive band excitation). An apparatus includes a band excitation signal generator; a probe coupled to the band excitation signal generator; a detector coupled to the probe; and a relevant dynamic parameter extractor component coupled to the detector, the relevant dynamic parameter extractor including a processor that performs a mathematical transform selected from the group consisting of an integral transform and a discrete transform.
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Citations
46 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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generating a band excitation signal; simultaneously exciting a probe at a plurality of frequencies within a predetermined frequency band using the band excitation signal; and measuring a response of the probe across a subset of frequencies of the predetermined frequency band. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11-29. -29. (canceled)
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30. A method, comprising:
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generating an excitation signal; simultaneously exciting a probe at a plurality of frequencies within a predetermined frequency band based on the excitation signal; measuring a response of the probe across a subset of frequencies of the predetermined frequency band; and adjusting the excitation signal based on the measured response. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method, comprising:
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generating an excitation signal; simultaneously exciting a probe at a plurality of frequencies within a predetermined frequency band based on the excitation signal; scanning a sample held in an apparatus to measure a response of the probe across a subset of frequencies of the predetermined frequency band; and separately extracting, by a processor of a relevant dynamic parameter extractor, resonant frequency, maximum amplitude, and Q factor parameters associated with each position crossed during the scan. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification