PROBE ASSEMBLY FOR A SCANNING PROBE MICROSCOPE

• US 20100186132A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 07/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Infinitesima Limited
• Original Assignee: Infinitesima Limited
• Inventors: Catto, David, Humphris, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 8,910,311 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 850/1
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 35/00 Methods or apparatus for measurement or analysis of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: G01Q 70/06 Probe tip arrays

Abstract

A probe assembly is for use in a scanning probe microscope. The probe assembly includes a carrier having a plurality of at least three substantially identical probes, each probe having a tip that is located on a plane that is common to the plurality of probe tips and that is movable from this plane. The assembly also includes addressing means adapted to select one of the plurality of probes for relative movement with respect to a majority of the remainder of the probes. Such an assembly, with its potential to facilitate rapid, perhaps automated, replacement of a used probe, lends itself to use in high-speed scanning apparatus.

Claims

1. A probe assembly for use in a scanning probe microscope, the probe assembly comprising a carrier having a first plurality of at least three probes, each probe having a tip that is located on a plane that is common to the plurality of probe tips and that is moveable from this plane characterised in that the probes are substantially identical and that the assembly also includes addressing means adapted to select one of the plurality of probes for relative movement with respect to a majority of the remainder of the probes.

2. A probe assembly according to claim 1 wherein the carrier also includes a second plurality of at least three substantially identical probes.

3. A probe assembly according to claim 2 wherein the addressing means is arranged to select one probe from the first plurality and/or one probe from second plurality.

4. A probe assembly according to claim 2 wherein the probes of the second plurality are a different type of probe to those of the first plurality.

5. A probe assembly according to claim 1, wherein the addressing means comprises respective electrical connections to each probe.

6. A probe assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the respective electrical connections include means for applying an electrical potential between the probe and a remote electrode.

7. A probe assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein each probe includes a resilient supporting beam and the addressing means further includes piezo-electric material connected to the respective electrical connection for bending the supporting beam.

8. A probe assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each probe includes a resilient supporting beam and the addressing means comprises at least one additional layer applied to the supporting beam, the additional layer being formed from a material that is different from that of the supporting beam, thereby forming a multilayered structure comprising at least two layers with differing thermal expansion.

9. A probe assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the multilayered material is heated by means of a respective resistive heater or a remote light source.

10. A probe assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a unitary substrate on which said probes are provided, the unitary substrate being mounted on the carrier.

11. A probe assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said probes has a respective substrate by which the probe is mounted on the carrier.

12. A probe assembly according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of at least three probes are probes of a type selected from the following group of probe types:

contact mode probe;

dynamic mode probe;

nanolithography probe;

probe adapted for the measurement of capacitance;

probe responsive to local magnetic and/or electric fields;

probe adapted for optical near-field microscopy;

standard aspect ratio probe;

high aspect ratio probe;

probes having different tip radii.

13. A probe assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the probes has a tip radius of curvature of 100 nm or less.

14. A probe assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the probes has a spring constant of less than 2 Nm⁻

1.

15. A probe assembly according to claim 1, wherein the probes are arranged substantially parallel with one another.

16. A probe assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the carrier has internal edges defining at least one slot extending through the carrier and wherein probes are mounted along one or more of the internal edges.

17. A probe assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein at least one first probe and at least one second probe are provided on respective opposing internal edges of the probe support.

18. A probe assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein said at least one first probe and at least one second probe overlap each other such that their tips are arranged in a line.

19. A probe assembly according to claim 1, wherein the carrier further comprises means for attachment of the carrier to a mount on a microscope.

20. A probe assembly as claimed in claim 19 wherein the means for attachment comprises means for storing information for each probe.

21. A probe assembly as claimed in claim 19 wherein the means for attachment includes a multiplexer for selecting a probe.

22. A probe assembly according to claim 1, wherein the probe tips are substantially evenly spread within the common plane.

23. A probe assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least two probes are differently spaced within the common plane, in comparison with the remainder of the probes.

24. A probe assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least two probes have a spacing which is adjustable within the common plane.

25. A probe assembly as claimed in claim 22, wherein a probe is provided on a first probe support and a second probe is provided on a second probe support and wherein the spacing between the tips of the first and second probes is fixed.

26. A probe assembly as claimed in claim 24, wherein a first bank of probes is provided on a first probe support and a second bank of probes is provided on a second probe support and wherein the spacing between the tips of the first and second banks is adjustable.

27. A probe assembly as claimed in claim 26, wherein at least one of the first and second probe supports includes an adjustable spacer for altering the relative position of the two probe supports.

28. A probe assembly as claimed in claim 26, wherein at least one first bank and at least one second bank are provided on respective opposing edges of respective first and second probe supports.

29. A probe assembly as claimed in claim 28, wherein said first and second banks overlap each other such that the probe tips are arranged in a line.

30. A probe assembly as claimed in claim 29, wherein each bank is located on a plane which is common to the other banks, and each probe tip in said bank is located a plane in common with the other probe tips in said bank, each bank having respective addressing means.

31. A probe assembly as claimed in claim 30, wherein the addressing means is adapted to select at least one bank for relative movement with respect to a majority of the remainder of the probes not in the selected bank, and further adapted to select one of the probes from the selected bank for relative movement with respect to the majority of the remainder of the probes in the bank, the selected probe being the probe in the selected bank that is moved furthest from said majority of the remainder of the probes not in the selected bank.

32. A probe assembly according to claim 1, wherein the common plane is substantially parallel to the sample stage.

33. Scanning probe microscopy apparatus comprising a sample stage;

a mount;

a detection system and a probe assembly in accordance with claim 1, the probe assembly being attached to the mount.

34. Scanning probe microscopy apparatus according to claim 33 wherein the microscope further includes means for aligning the selected probe with the detection system.

35. A method of studying a sample surface using a scanning probe microscope having a sample plate and a detection system, the method comprising the steps of:

mounting a sample on the sample plate of the scanning probe microscope;

mounting a probe assembly in accordance with claim 1 in the scanning probe microscope;

addressing one or more probes to cause the probe tips of the addressed probes to move out of the common plane relative to the remainder of the probes and thereby selecting one or more probes for scanning the sample surface;

positioning the selected probes over the sample surface;

aligning the detection system of the scanning probe microscope with the one or more selected probes;

generating relative movement between the one or more selected probes and the sample surface; and

monitoring the response of the one or more probes to its interaction with the sample using the detection system.

36. A method according to claim 35 further including the steps of:

addressing a second set of one or more probes to cause the probe tips of the addressed probes to move out of the common plane relative to the remainder of the probes and thereby selecting one or more probes for scanning the sample surface;

positioning the second set of selected probes over the sample surface;

aligning the detection system of the scanning probe microscope with the second set of selected probes;

generating relative movement between the second set of selected probes and the sample surface; and

monitoring the response of the one or more probes to its interaction with the sample using the detection system.

37. A method according to claim 36 wherein the step of aligning the detection system is carried out automatically.