Apparatus for parallel detection of the behaviour of mechanical micro-oscillators
US7173714B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 5, 2001 |
| Grant date | Feb 6, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 18, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2291/0256
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The invention concerns an apparatus for parallel detection of the behaviour of mechanical micro-oscillators interacting with the sample (21). The amplitude and the phase of resonance of micro-oscillators (12) are measured with optical means. The invention is characterised in that a source (1) is active during a fraction 1/n of the period (n being an integer) and of variable phase p/n of the period (p being an integer). Interferences are produced between light beams generated by reflection of incident light beams (7) and (8) on the micro-oscillators (12). Periodically the micro-oscillators (12) are displaced by means. The value of the parameter p (p being an integer) is varied and N elementary measurements are integrated to obtain a measurement representing each of the values of p. The phase and amplitude of each micro-oscillator (12) are calculated on the basis of the representative data obtained for each value of p and this for a large number of accumulations. The invention is applicable in the field of nanotechnologies.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.