Scanning probe with digitized pulsed-force mode operation and real-time evaluation

US7129486B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Witec Wissenschaftliche Instrumente und Technologie GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Peter Spizig · Niederstotzingen, DE
• Detlef Sanchen · Neu-Ulm, DE
• Jörg Förstner · Ulm, DE
• Joachim Koenen · Ulm, DE
• Othmar Marti · Ulm, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 12, 2001
• Grant date: Oct 31, 2006
• Expiry date: Dec 12, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01Q60/32
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for creating the image of a sample surface to be analyzed, with a resolution which is better than 1 μm laterally in relation to the sample surface and better than 100 nm vertically in relation to said surface. According to the invention, the surface is scanned on a point-by-point basis by a scanning probe, the distance between the scanning probe and the sample surface at each scanning point being periodically modulated, in such a way that a force-time curve of the probe is produced for this point. The force-time curve is recorded at each scanning point, digitized using an A/D converter, evaluated online in real-time and stored, together with the entire data stream, in a first area of a memory device. One or several characteristic variables of the force-time curves are determined for each scanning point from the real-time evaluation results and the stored digitized force-time curves and an image of the sample surface is obtained from said characteristic variables of the scanning points.