Nanomachining method and apparatus
First Claim
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1. In a nanomachining system having a scanning probe suitable for use in a scanning probe microscope, a method of calibrating the scanning probe for nanomachining operations comprising:
- (a) applying an excitation energy to activate the scanning probe;
(b) adjusting a level of the excitation energy incrementally to a threshold energy level below which there is no significant detection of a surface when it is scanned and above which there is significant detection of the surface when it is scanned;
(c) setting the excitation energy to a level above the threshold energy level;
(d) performing a scan sequence on a test surface along a scan vector, the scan sequence comprising a predetermined number of scans, N;
(e) determining a measure indicative of the degree of scan induced cutting of the test surface along the scan vector;
(f) increasing the excitation energy level;
repeating steps (d) through (f) until a tolerable setting of the excitation energy is attained wherein the determined measure exceeds a predetermined measure; and
storing the tolerable setting in a data store having stored therein a plurality of previously determined tolerable settings wherein during a subsequent nanomachining operation the scanning probe is activated based on a selected tolerable setting obtained from the data store.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for nanomachining operations. Excitation energy settings are provided to minimize machine induced scan cutting. Cut operations can be operated in a feedback mode to provide controlled cutting operations. Measurement and sweep techniques to facilitate nanomachining operations are disclosed.
168 Citations
11 Claims
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1. In a nanomachining system having a scanning probe suitable for use in a scanning probe microscope, a method of calibrating the scanning probe for nanomachining operations comprising:
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(a) applying an excitation energy to activate the scanning probe; (b) adjusting a level of the excitation energy incrementally to a threshold energy level below which there is no significant detection of a surface when it is scanned and above which there is significant detection of the surface when it is scanned; (c) setting the excitation energy to a level above the threshold energy level; (d) performing a scan sequence on a test surface along a scan vector, the scan sequence comprising a predetermined number of scans, N; (e) determining a measure indicative of the degree of scan induced cutting of the test surface along the scan vector; (f) increasing the excitation energy level; repeating steps (d) through (f) until a tolerable setting of the excitation energy is attained wherein the determined measure exceeds a predetermined measure; and storing the tolerable setting in a data store having stored therein a plurality of previously determined tolerable settings wherein during a subsequent nanomachining operation the scanning probe is activated based on a selected tolerable setting obtained from the data store. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A computer program product suitable for controlling an scanning probe microscopy system in a manner suitable for nanomachining operations, the scanning probe microscopy system having a scanning probe, a detection system, and a control system, the detection system operable with the scanning probe to detect a surface being scanned, the control system operable to control the scanning probe to perform nanomachining-related operations, the computer program product comprising:
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computer-readable media having contained thereon computer program code, the computer program code comprising; first program instructions effective to operate the control system to provide an excitation energy to the scanning probe; second program instructions effective to operate the control system to determine a threshold excitation energy level below which there is no significant detection of a surface when it is scanned and above which there is significant detection of the surface when it is scanned; third program instructions effective to operate the control system to perform a scan sequence on a test surface along a scan vector, the scan sequence comprising a predetermined number of scans, N; fourth program instructions effective to operate the control system to determine a measure indicative of the degree of scan induced cutting of the test surface along the scan vector; fifth program instructions effective to operate the control system to increase the excitation energy and to re-execute the third and fourth program instructions until a tolerable setting of the excitation energy is attained wherein the determined measure exceeds a predetermined measure; and sixth program instructions effective to store the tolerable setting in a data store among a plurality of previously determined tolerable settings wherein during a subsequent nanomachining operation the scanning probe is activated based on a selected tolerable setting obtained from the data store.
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8. In a nanomachining system having a scanning probe suitable for use in a scanning probe microscope, a method of calibrating the scanning probe for nanomachining operations on a surface of a workpiece comprising:
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(a) applying an excitation energy to activate the scanning probe; (b) adjusting the excitation energy incrementally to a threshold energy level below which there is no significant detection of the surface of the workpiece when it is scanned and above which there is significant detection of the surface when it is scanned; (c) setting the excitation energy to a level above the threshold energy level; (d) performing a scan sequence on a test region of the surface of the workpiece along a scan vector, the scan sequence comprising a predetermined number of scans, N; (e) determining a measure indicative of the degree of scan induced cutting of the test region along the scan vector; (f) increasing the excitation energy level; repeating steps (d) through (f) until a tolerable setting of the excitation energy is attained wherein the determined measure exceeds a predetermined measure; and storing the tolerable setting in a data store having stored therein a plurality of previously determined tolerable settings wherein during a subsequent nanomachining operation the scanning probe is activated based on a selected tolerable setting obtained from the data store. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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Specification