Fiber probe device having multiple diameters
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A probe device comprising:
- a fiber segment having a relatively thick upper region terminating at its lower extremity in a first tapered region that terminates in a cylindrical intermediate region, the cylindrical intermediate region terminating at its lower extremity in a second tapered region that terminates in a lowest cylindrical region;
the upper region, the cylindrical intermediate region, and the lowest cylindrical region having respective maximum widths that are monotonically decreasing;
the lowest cylindrical region having a maximum width in the approximate range of 0.01 μ
m to 150 μ
m and terminating at its lower extremity in an essentially planar end surface oriented perpendicular to the axis of the lowest cylindrical region; and
the intermediate cylindrical region having a height and a maximum width in a ratio in the approximate rate of 1 to 100.
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Abstract
A fiber probe device includes a fiber segment that has at least three sections. An uppermost section has the largest diameter; an intermediate section has an intermediate diameter, and a lowest section (tip) has the smallest diameter. The presence of the intermediate section enables control over the stiffness of the section located immediately above the tip as well as control over the mechanical resonance characteristic of the probe device when it scans a sample surface to be measured.
69 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A probe device comprising:
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a fiber segment having a relatively thick upper region terminating at its lower extremity in a first tapered region that terminates in a cylindrical intermediate region, the cylindrical intermediate region terminating at its lower extremity in a second tapered region that terminates in a lowest cylindrical region; the upper region, the cylindrical intermediate region, and the lowest cylindrical region having respective maximum widths that are monotonically decreasing; the lowest cylindrical region having a maximum width in the approximate range of 0.01 μ
m to 150 μ
m and terminating at its lower extremity in an essentially planar end surface oriented perpendicular to the axis of the lowest cylindrical region; andthe intermediate cylindrical region having a height and a maximum width in a ratio in the approximate rate of 1 to 100. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification