Method for examining a test sample using a scanning probe microscope, measurement system and a measuring probe system

• US 8,381,311 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2008
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bruker Nano GmbH (Bruker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: JPK Instruments AG
• Inventors: Jhnke, Torsten
• Primary Examiner(s): Berman, Jack
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAHU, MEENAKSHI S
• Application Number:
  US12/600,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20100218284A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,740 Days
• Field of Search: 850 1- 4, 850/8, 850/13, 850/22, 850/33, 850/40, 250/306, 250/307
• US Class Current: 850/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01Q 70/06 Probe tip arrays

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and to a device for examining a test sample using a scanning probe microscope. According to the method a first and a second measurement using a scanning probe microscope are carried out on the test sample using a measuring probe system in which a measuring probe and another measuring probe are formed on a common measuring probe receptacle. During the first measurement, in relation to the test sample, the measuring probe is held in a first measurement position and the other measuring probe is held in another non-measurement position, and the test sample is examined with the measuring probe using a scanning probe microscope. After the first measurement, by displacing in relation to the test sample, the measuring probe is displaced from the measurement position into a non-measurement position and the other measuring probe from the other non-measurement position into another measurement position. During the second measurement, in relation to the test sample, the measuring probe is held in the non-measurement position and the other measuring probe is held in the other measurement position, and the test sample is examined with the other measuring probe using a scanning probe microscope. The invention also relates to a measuring sensor system of a scanning probe microscope.

Claims

1. A method for examining a test sample using a scanning probe microscope in which:

a first and a second measurement using a scanning probe microscope are carried out on the test sample using a measuring probe system in which a measuring probe and another measuring probe are formed on a common measuring probe receptacle,

during the first measurement, in relation to the test sample, the measuring probe is held in a first measurement position and the other measuring probe is held in another non-measurement position, and the test sample is examined with the measuring probe using a scanning probe microscope,

after the first measurement, by displacing in relation to the test sample, the measuring probe is displaced from the measurement position into a non-measurement position and the other measuring probe from the other non-measurement position into another measurement position, and

during the second measurement, in relation to the test sample, the measuring probe is held in the non-measurement position and the other measuring probe is held in the other measurement position, and the test sample is examined with the other measuring probe using a scanning probe microscope,

wherein the displacement in relation to the test sample is performed at least partly by means of a joint movement of the measuring probe and the other measuring probe which comprises a relative movement between the measuring probe receptacle and the test sample.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the displacement in relation to the test sample is performed at least partly by means of a discrete movement of the measuring probe and the other measuring probe in which at least the measuring probe or at least the other measuring probe is moved.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein at least the measuring probe or at least the other measuring probe is moved by displacing an allocated measuring probe bar, optionally by means of a self-deformation.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the displacement of the allocated measuring probe bar comprises a swivelling movement of the measuring probe bar by means of which an angular position of the allocated measuring probe bar is changed.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the displacement in relation to the test sample for the measuring probe and/or the other measuring probe comprises a height adjustment changing a vertical distance to an examination section of the test sample.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the height adjustment is carried out as a relative movement along a displacement direction perpendicular to the examination section of the test sample.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the measuring probe receptacle is moved for the displacement in relation to the test sample.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least partially overlapping examination sections on the test sample are examined in the first measurement and the second measurement using a scanning probe microscope.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one displacement movement selected from the following group a displacement of the measuring probe between the measurement position and the non-measurement position and a displacement of the other measuring probe between the other measurement position and the other non-measurement position.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the measuring probe during the displacement between the measurement position and the non-measurement position as well as the other measuring probe during the displacement between the other measurement position and the other non-measurement position stay within an allocated measurement volume.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the measuring probe during the displacement from the measurement position into the non-measurement position is arranged above an area of the test sample which was already previously examined using a scanning probe microscope.

12. A measurement system for examining a test sample using a scanning probe microscope, said measurement system comprising:

a measuring probe system in which a measuring probe and another measuring probe are formed on a common measuring probe receptacle,

a scanning displacement means which is configured to displace the measuring probe and the other measuring probe in relation to the test sample for the examination of the test sample using a scanning probe microscope, and

a measuring probe displacement means which is at least coupled to the measuring probe and the other measuring probe for the measuring probe displacement and optionally at least partly integrated with the scanning displacement means, the measuring probe displacement means being configured

during a first measurement using a scanning probe microscope, to hold the measuring probe in a first measurement position and the other measuring probe in another non-measurement position in relation to the test sample,

after the first measurement using a scanning probe microscope, to bring the measuring probe from the measurement position into a non-measurement position and the other measuring probe from the other non-measurement position into another measurement position by means of a joint movement which comprises a relative movement between the measuring probe receptacle and the test sample, and

during a second measurement using a scanning probe microscope, to hold the measuring probe in the non-measurement position and the other measuring probe in the other measurement position.

13. The measurement system according to claim 12, wherein a measuring-active measuring probe part on the measuring probe and a measuring-active measuring probe part on the other measuring probe are arranged with an offset to each other at an edge of the common measuring probe receptacle.

14. The measurement system according to claim 12, wherein the measuring probe and the other measuring probe in the measuring probe system are supported on a diagonal face, in relation to the surface of the test sample, formed on the common measuring probe receptacle which optionally is formed on the measuring probe receptacle by means of a prism-shaped component.

15. The measurement system according to claim 12, wherein the measuring probe and the other measuring probe in the measuring probe system are each formed with a bendable measuring probe bar.

16. The measurement system according to claim 12, wherein the measuring probe and the other measuring probe in the measuring probe system is formed essentially coinciding in relation to at least one measuring probe property selected from the following group of measuring probe properties:

spring constant, applied probe substance, probe coating and frequency of resonance.

17. The measurement system according to claim 12, wherein the measuring probe and the other measuring probe are arranged to be height-adjusted by means of the measuring probe displacement means, optionally along a displacement direction perpendicular to an examination section of the test sample.

18. The measurement system according to claim 12, wherein the measuring probe and the other measuring probe are formed displaceable by means of a discrete movement.

19. A measuring probe system for a scanning probe microscope in which a measuring probe and at least another measuring probe are formed on a common measuring probe receptacle, wherein the measuring probe and the at least another measuring probe are displaceable each between a measurement position and a non-measurement position by means of a joint movement which comprises a relative movement between the measuring probe receptacle and the test sample.

20. The measuring probe system according to claim 19, wherein the measuring probe and the at least another measuring probe each include a measuring-active measuring probe part arranged with an offset to each other at an edge of the common measuring probe receptacle.