Method and apparatus of operating a scanning probe microscope
US10197596B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 7, 2017 |
| Grant date | Feb 5, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 7, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01Q60/34
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Methods and apparatuses are provided for automatically controlling and stabilizing aspects of a scanning probe microscope (SPM), such as an atomic force microscope (AFM), using Peak Force Tapping (PFT) Mode. In an embodiment, a controller automatically controls periodic motion of a probe relative to a sample in response to a substantially instantaneous force determined, and automatically controls a gain in a feedback loop. A gain control circuit automatically tunes a gain based on separation distances between a probe and a sample to facilitate stability. Accordingly, instability onset is quickly and accurately determined during scanning, thereby eliminating the need of expert user tuning of gains during operation.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.