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AM/FM measurements using multiple frequency of atomic force microscopy

  • US 9,841,436 B2
  • Filed: 09/26/2016
  • Issued: 12/12/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2014
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An atomic force microscope, comprising:

  • a cantilever having a tip at one end and a driving part at its other end;

    a cantilever position detector;

    a positioning system for controlling a position of the cantilever relative to a sample, the positioning system operating by;

    first operating by turning off a drive mechanism and positioning the cantilever at a specified point relative to the sample, and determining a stiffness of the cantilever from a measured thermal spectrum taken far from a surface of the sample and recording information indicative of the stiffness as representing a natural frequency of the cantilever;

    second approaching the tip of the cantilever to closer proximity with the sample and turning the drive mechanism on and setting a drive frequency of the cantilever to the natural frequency of the cantilever as measured during said first operating, and approaching the tip of the cantilever to the surface of the sample until contact is established by setting the feedback set point to a desired interaction amplitude that is less than a free oscillation amplitude;

    third operating by fully separating the sample from the tip of the cantilever and tuning the cantilever using the drive frequency using a first relationship acquired; and

    after said tuning, turning off the drive mechanism and acquiring an additional thermal spectrum of the cantilever that is obtained during conditions that are closer to imaging conditions; and

    repeating said first operating, and second operating using the additional thermal spectrum.

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