Method and apparatus of operating a scanning probe microscope
US9274139B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 4, 2014 |
| Grant date | Mar 1, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 4, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01R2103/00
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Methods and apparatuses are provided for automatically controlling and stabilizing aspects of a scanning probe microscope (SPM), such as an atomic force microscope (AFM), using Peak Force Tapping (PFT) Mode. In an embodiment, a controller automatically controls periodic motion of a probe relative to a sample in response to a substantially instantaneous force determined, and automatically controls a gain in a feedback loop. A gain control circuit automatically tunes a gain based on separation distances between a probe and a sample to facilitate stability. Accordingly, instability onset is quickly and accurately determined during scanning, thereby eliminating the need of expert user tuning of gains during operation.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.