Method and apparatus for sub-diffraction infrared imaging and spectroscopy and complementary techniques
US10969405B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 29, 2017 |
| Grant date | Apr 6, 2021 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 29, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2021/1725
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for performing chemical spectroscopy on samples from the scale of nanometers to millimeters or more with a multifunctional platform combining analytical and imaging techniques including atomic force microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, confocal microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. For infrared spectroscopy, a sample is illuminated with infrared light and the resulting sample distortion is read out with either a focused UV/visible light beam and/or AFM tip. Using the AFM tip or the UV/visible light beam it is possible to measure the IR absorption characteristics of a sample with spatial resolution ranging from around 1 μm or less to the nanometer scale. The combination of both techniques provides a rapid and large area survey scan with the UV/visible light and a high resolution measurement with the AFM tip. The methods and apparatus also include the ability to analyze light reflected/scattered from the sample via a Raman spectrometer for complementary analysis by Raman spectroscopy. Using a UV/vis source or IR source at higher intensity it is possible to thermally desorb material from a sample for analysis by mass spectrometry. The AFM tip can al…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.