Atomic force microscope
US12298327B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 18, 2021 |
| Grant date | May 13, 2025 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 29, 2042 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01B9/02081
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An atomic force microscope (“AFM”) based interferometer, uses a light source, and a splitting optical interface, splitting the light beam into a signal light beam and a reference light beam. Both the signal and reference light beams are focused in the vicinity of an AFM cantilever. A beam displacer introduces a lateral displacement between the signal light beam and reference light beam, the lateral displacement being such that, in at least one plane between the beam displacer and the focusing lens structure, the center of the signal light beam is separated from the center of the reference light beam by more than half a sum of their beam diameters on that plane. A detector operates to determine differences in optical path length between the signal light beam and reference light beam to determine information about movement of the cantilever.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.