Patent · US Active

Apparatus and method for measuring charge density distribution

US8798947B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
10References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 20, 2011
Grant dateAug 5, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 25, 2032

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06V40/1306
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The invention provides a method and apparatus for the detection of charge density distribution at the surface of a material sample. The apparatus comprises an electric potential sensor for measuring surface charge on a material sample, wherein the electrical potential sensor includes a probe for capacitively coupling the electric potential sensor to the surface of the material sample, an amplifier for generating a measurement output, the probe being connected to an input of the amplifier and the measurement output being supplied at an output of the amplifier, and a feedback arrangement driven from the output of the amplifier for enhancing the input impedance of the amplifier. A positioning system mounts the probe of the electric potential sensor above the material sample and moves the probe at a constant height over a surface of the said sample, and a processing system receives and processes the measurement output of the electric potential sensor for generating a digital record of the charge density distribution at the surface of the material sample.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.