A tip holder for a scanning thermal microscope and a method of probe assembly

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of scanning thermal microscopy, and particularly relates to a needle tip frame for a scanning thermal microscope and a probe assembly method. The needle tip frame comprises a mounting frame body and a detachable assembly holder. The mounting frame body is provided with a probe mounting base. The top of the probe mounting base is provided with an inclined mounting surface. The inclined mounting surface is provided with electrode grooves. One of the electrode grooves is connected with a needle tip mounting groove. The detachable assembly holder is slidably arranged on the mounting frame body and is fixedly connected through a positioning member. The top of the detachable assembly holder is provided with an inclined supporting surface. The inclined supporting surface is provided with a needle tip limiting supporting groove. The needle tip limiting supporting groove is oppositely arranged with the needle tip mounting groove. The probe assembly method based on the needle tip frame is also disclosed. The probe assembly method and the needle tip frame ensure the consistency of the probe mounting angle and position through the cooperation of the mounting frame body and the detachable assembly holder. Meanwhile, the electrical connection stability is good.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of scanning thermal microscopy, and more particularly to a tip holder and probe assembly method for scanning thermal microscopy. Background Technology

[0002] Scanning Thermal Microscopy (SThM) is a scanning probe instrument developed based on atomic force microscopy (AFM). It can be used to characterize thermal properties such as temperature distribution and local thermal conductivity at the micro / nano scale, and is applied in fields such as nanoscale temperature measurement, micro / nano-scale thermal conductivity measurement, and scanning probe microscopy. During measurement, the thermal probe undergoes localized heat exchange with the sample surface, and the temperature or thermophysical properties of the sample surface are obtained by detecting changes in the thermal probe's resistance, thermoelectric potential, or other thermal response signals. As the mounting and connecting component of the thermal probe, the tip holder not only needs to stably clamp and accurately position the thermal probe, but also needs to ensure a reliable electrical connection between the thermal probe and the external detection circuit. Therefore, its structural design directly affects the measurement stability, signal reliability, and assembly repeatability of the scanning thermal microscope.

[0003] Existing scanning thermal microscope tip holders mostly use methods such as clamping plates and screws to fix the probe and achieve electrical connection, which still has certain shortcomings in use. Mechanical clamping is prone to contact resistance fluctuations due to changes in contact pressure or repeated disassembly and assembly, leading to measurement instability. In addition, the small size and delicate structure of thermal probes make them susceptible to tip damage or cantilever beam deformation and breakage during clamping. Therefore, it is necessary to design a tip holder structure suitable for scanning thermal microscopes that can improve the positioning accuracy of thermal probes and the stability of electrical connections, reduce the risk of probe damage during assembly, and ultimately improve the stability of thermal measurements in scanning thermal microscopes. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a tip holder for a scanning thermal microscope, which solves the problems of contact resistance fluctuations caused by changes in contact pressure or repeated disassembly and assembly, which in turn lead to measurement instability and easy tip damage or cantilever beam deformation and breakage during clamping.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a tip holder for a scanning thermal microscope, comprising a mounting frame body and a detachable mounting bracket; The mounting bracket body is provided with a probe mounting base. The top of the probe mounting base is provided with an inclined mounting surface. An isolation groove is provided on the inclined mounting surface. Electrode grooves are provided on the inclined mounting surfaces on both sides of the isolation groove. A conductive adhesive layer is provided in the electrode groove. One of the electrode grooves is connected to a needle tip mounting groove. The detachable assembly tray is slidably mounted on the mounting frame body and fixedly connected by positioning components. The top of the detachable assembly tray is provided with an inclined support surface, and the inclined support surface is provided with a needle tip limiting support groove, which is arranged opposite to the needle tip mounting groove.

[0006] Preferably, a dovetail-shaped guide rail is provided on the mounting bracket body on one side of the probe mounting base, and a dovetail-shaped guide groove is provided at the bottom of the detachable assembly bracket, and the dovetail-shaped guide groove is slidably mounted on the dovetail-shaped guide rail.

[0007] Preferably, the detachable mounting bracket has at least one mounting through hole for mounting a positioning element, and the mounting bracket body has a positioning through hole, which is positioned opposite to the positioning element.

[0008] Preferably, the positioning element is a screw or an elastic clip. The elastic clip includes a hollow stud, in which a spring and a top ball are disposed. The top ball is disposed opposite to the closed end of the hollow stud, one end of the spring is in contact with the top ball, and the other end of the spring is in contact with the closed end of the hollow stud.

[0009] Preferably, the mounting bracket body has a wire groove, which is located on the other side of the probe mounting base. A through hole is provided at the bottom of the wire groove. An electrical connector is detachably connected to one end of the mounting bracket body. The electrical connector has several parallel electrical terminals. The probe wire passes through the through hole and connects to the electrical terminals. Two symmetrically arranged magnetic magnets are provided on the outside of the electrical connector. The magnetic magnets are arranged opposite to the corresponding magnetic components in the scanning thermal microscope assembly structure.

[0010] Preferably, the other end of the mounting bracket body is provided with a pull handle, the pull handle has an operation through hole in the middle, and arc-shaped operation grooves are provided on both sides of the pull handle.

[0011] Preferably, guide plates are provided on both sides of the mounting bracket body, and the insertion end of the guide plate is tapered.

[0012] Preferably, the mounting bracket body has a clearance groove, which is positioned opposite to the tip of the probe.

[0013] A probe assembly method, using the aforementioned tip holder for scanning thermal microscopy, comprises the following steps: Step S1: Place the mounting bracket body face up, move the detachable mounting tray along the dovetail guide rail until the positioning part is aligned with the positioning through hole and the detachable mounting tray is fixed. At this time, the highest side of the inclined mounting surface and the lowest side of the inclined support surface are in contact with each other. Step S2: Apply conductive adhesive to the electrode groove and the tip mounting groove, place the two electrodes of the probe in the electrode groove, and place the tip of the probe in the tip mounting groove and the tip limiting support groove. Step S3: After the conductive adhesive has cured, remove the detachable assembly bracket along the dovetail guide rail; Step S4: Hold the pull handle and insert the mounting bracket body with the probe facing up into the scanning thermal microscope. The magnet will attract the corresponding magnetic component in the scanning thermal microscope assembly structure, and the electrical terminals will be electrically connected to the terminals in the scanning head assembly structure.

[0014] Therefore, the above-described method for assembling a tip holder and probe for a scanning thermal microscope has the following advantages: (1) This invention enables the probe to be stably mounted relative to the tip holder body through the cooperation of the mounting bracket body and the detachable mounting bracket, and achieves a fixed electrical connection between the probe electrode and the tip holder electrode through the silver glue connection structure. Using conductive glue to fix and electrically connect the probe electrode part can reduce contact resistance fluctuations, reduce measurement noise and signal drift caused by unstable mechanical contact, and at the same time avoid the pressure force from acting directly on the probe electrode or cantilever beam structure, reduce the risk of probe damage, and improve the stability and reliability of thermal probe signal acquisition.

[0015] (2) The probe mounting base is provided with an inclined mounting surface on the top, and the detachable assembly tray is provided with an inclined support surface on the top, so that the probe tip is set at an inclination and the tip is at the highest position during assembly. The installation position and angle can be kept consistent, reducing problems such as probe tipping and breakage caused by human assembly errors, reducing the difficulty of probe assembly, and increasing the durability of the thermal probe.

[0016] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a tip holder for a scanning thermal microscope according to the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the bottom structure of a tip holder for a scanning thermal microscope according to the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the mounting bracket body structure of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the detachable assembly bracket structure of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the elastic card structure of the present invention.

[0019] Figure Labels 1. Mounting bracket body; 11. Dovetail guide rail; 12. Positioning through hole; 13. Wire groove; 14. Through hole for wires; 15. Guide plate; 16. Clearance groove; 2. Demountable assembly bracket; 21. Inclined support surface; 22. Needle tip limiting support groove; 23. Dovetail guide groove; 24. Mounting through hole; 3. Probe mounting base; 31. Inclined mounting surface; 32. Isolation groove; 33. Electrode groove; 34. Needle tip mounting groove; 4. Elastic clip; 41. Hollow stud; 42. Spring; 43. Top ball; 44. Closing end; 45. Sealing end; 5. Electrical connector; 51. Electrical terminal; 52. Adsorption magnet; 6. Pull-out handle; 61. Operation through hole; 62. Arc-shaped operation groove. Detailed Implementation

[0020] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "upper," "lower," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly used when the product is in use. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. In the description of this invention, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "set," "install," and "connect" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0021] In this application, unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. In case of any inconsistency, the meaning set forth in this specification or derived from the content described herein shall prevail. Furthermore, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing embodiments of this application only and is not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0022] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] Example 1 like Figures 1-2 As shown, a tip holder for a scanning thermal microscope includes a mounting frame body 1 and a detachable mounting bracket 2.

[0024] like Figure 3As shown, a probe mounting base 3 is provided on the mounting bracket body 1. An inclined mounting surface 31 is provided on the top of the probe mounting base 3. An isolation groove 32 is provided on the inclined mounting surface 31. The function of the isolation groove 32 is to prevent the electrode areas on both sides from being connected due to the silver paste bridging. Electrode grooves 33 are provided on the inclined mounting surfaces 31 on both sides of the isolation groove 32. A conductive adhesive layer is provided in the electrode grooves 33. One of the electrode grooves 33 is connected to the needle tip mounting groove 34.

[0025] The mounting bracket body 1 has a wire groove 13 for accommodating connecting wires or circuit modules. The wire groove 13 is located on the other side of the probe mounting base 3. A through hole 14 is provided at the bottom of the wire groove 13. Guide plates 15 are provided on both sides of the mounting bracket body 1. The insertion end of the guide plate 15 is tapered, which allows the mounting bracket body 1 to be inserted into or withdrawn from the scanning thermal microscope in a preset direction. One end of the mounting bracket body 1 is detachably connected to an electrical connector 5. The electrical connector 5 is provided with several parallel electrical terminals 51. The probe wire passes through the through hole 14 and connects to the electrical terminals 51. Two symmetrically arranged magnetic magnets 52 are provided on the outside of the electrical connector 5. The magnetic magnets 52 are opposite to the corresponding magnetic suction parts in the scanning thermal microscope assembly structure, realizing the mechanical and electrical connection between the mounting bracket body 1 and the scanning thermal microscope. The electrical signal or thermal response signal generated by the thermal probe during the scanning thermal microscopy measurement is transmitted to the scanning thermal microscopy measurement data processing module or external detection circuit.

[0026] The mounting bracket body 1 has a clearance groove 16, which is positioned opposite to the probe tip. The end with the tip extends out of the tip mounting groove 34 and is suspended in the air, so that the tip can be exposed outside the tip holder and used for thermal characterization and measurement.

[0027] like Figure 4As shown, the detachable assembly tray 2 is slidably mounted on the mounting frame body 1 and fixedly connected by a positioning component. A dovetail-shaped guide rail 11 is provided on one side of the mounting frame body 1 of the probe mounting base 3. A dovetail-shaped guide groove 23 is provided at the bottom of the detachable assembly tray 2, and the dovetail-shaped guide groove 23 is slidably mounted on the dovetail-shaped guide rail 11. This groove limits the installation direction and position of the detachable assembly tray 2, achieving directional assembly, and also restricts the detachable assembly tray 2's lateral and vertical offset, preventing shaking or tilting during assembly. The detachable assembly tray 2 has a mounting through hole 24 for mounting the positioning component, and the mounting frame body 1 has a positioning through hole 12. The positioning through hole 12 is positioned opposite to the positioning component. In this embodiment, screws are used to fix the detachable assembly tray 2 to the mounting frame body 1. The top of the detachable assembly tray 2 is provided with an inclined support surface 21. The inclined support surface 21 has a needle tip limiting support groove 22. The needle tip limiting support groove 22 is arranged opposite to the needle tip mounting groove 34. When the detachable assembly tray 2 is installed, the inclined support surface 21 can be fitted with the inclined mounting surface 31, and the inclination angle is 10°-15°.

[0028] To facilitate pull-out and insertion operations, a pull-out handle 6 is provided at the other end of the mounting bracket body 1. An operation through hole 61 is provided in the middle of the pull-out handle 6, and arc-shaped operation grooves 62 are provided on both sides of the pull-out handle 6 to provide force application points when installing or disassembling the needle tip frame body.

[0029] Example 2 The difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that the positioning components are different, such as... Figure 5 As shown, the positioning component in this embodiment adopts an elastic locking component 4. The elastic locking component 4 includes a hollow stud 41, in which a spring 42 and a top ball 43 are disposed. The top ball 43 is disposed opposite to the closed end 44 of the hollow stud 41. One end of the spring 42 is in contact with the top ball 43, and the other end of the spring 42 is in contact with the closed end 45 of the hollow stud 41. When the top ball 43 moves to the positioning through hole 12, under the action of the spring 42, the top ball 43 is engaged with the positioning through hole 12, which is convenient and quick to assemble and disassemble.

[0030] Example 3 A probe assembly method, using the tip holder for a scanning thermal microscope as described in Example 1, comprises the following steps: Step S1: Place the mounting bracket body 1 with its front facing up, and move the detachable mounting tray 2 along the dovetail guide slide rail 11 until the positioning part is positioned opposite the positioning through hole 12 and the detachable mounting tray 2 is fixed. At this time, the highest side of the inclined mounting surface 31 is in contact with the lowest side of the inclined support surface 21. Step S2: Apply conductive adhesive (silver paste) to the electrode groove 33 and the tip mounting groove 34. Place the two electrodes of the probe in the electrode groove 33, and place the tip of the probe in the tip mounting groove 34 and the tip limiting support groove 22. A fixed electrical connection between the probe electrodes and the tip holder electrodes is achieved through the silver paste connection structure. Compared with existing structures that use mechanical pressing methods such as spring sheets or pressure plates to achieve electrical connection, this connection method can reduce contact resistance fluctuations, reduce measurement noise and signal drift caused by unstable mechanical contact, and avoid the pressing force directly acting on the probe electrodes or cantilever beam structure, reducing the risk of probe damage and improving the stability and reliability of thermal probe signal acquisition.

[0031] Step S3: After the conductive adhesive has cured, remove the detachable assembly bracket 2 along the dovetail guide rail 11; Step S4: Holding the pull handle 6, insert the mounting bracket body 1 with the probe facing upwards into the scanning thermal microscope. The magnetic magnet 52 attracts the corresponding magnetic component in the scanning thermal microscope assembly structure, and the electrical terminal 51 is electrically connected to the terminal in the scanning head assembly structure. This allows the probe to be positioned and installed along a preset direction during assembly and stably fixed to the mounting bracket body 1 at a preset tilt angle. This improves the consistency of the probe's installation position and angle, reduces problems such as probe tipping and breakage caused by human assembly errors, reduces the difficulty of probe assembly, and increases the durability of the thermal probe.

[0032] Therefore, the tip holder for scanning thermal microscope described in this invention solves the problem of contact resistance fluctuations caused by changes in contact pressure or repeated disassembly and assembly, which leads to measurement instability and easy tip damage or cantilever beam deformation and breakage during clamping.

[0033] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and not to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can still be made to the technical solutions of the present invention, and these modifications or equivalent substitutions cannot cause the modified technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention.

Claims

1. A tip holder for a scanning thermal microscope, characterized in that: Includes the mounting bracket body and a detachable mounting tray; The mounting bracket body is provided with a probe mounting base. The top of the probe mounting base is provided with an inclined mounting surface. An isolation groove is provided on the inclined mounting surface. Electrode grooves are provided on the inclined mounting surfaces on both sides of the isolation groove. A conductive adhesive layer is provided in the electrode groove. One of the electrode grooves is connected to a needle tip mounting groove. The detachable assembly tray is slidably mounted on the mounting frame body and fixedly connected by positioning components. The top of the detachable assembly tray is provided with an inclined support surface, and the inclined support surface is provided with a needle tip limiting support groove, which is arranged opposite to the needle tip mounting groove.

2. The tip holder for a scanning thermal microscope according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mounting bracket body on one side of the probe mounting base is provided with a dovetail-shaped guide rail, and the bottom of the detachable assembly bracket is provided with a dovetail-shaped guide groove, which is slidably mounted on the dovetail-shaped guide rail.

3. A tip holder for a scanning thermal microscope according to claim 2, characterized in that: The detachable assembly bracket has at least one mounting through hole for mounting a positioning component, and the mounting bracket body has a positioning through hole, which is positioned opposite to the positioning component.

4. A tip holder for a scanning thermal microscope according to claim 3, characterized in that: The positioning element is a screw or a flexible clip. The flexible clip includes a hollow stud, inside which is a spring and a top ball. The top ball is positioned opposite to the closed end of the hollow stud. One end of the spring contacts the top ball, and the other end of the spring contacts the closed end of the hollow stud.

5. A tip holder for a scanning thermal microscope according to claim 4, characterized in that: The mounting bracket body has a wire groove located on the other side of the probe mounting base. A through hole is provided at the bottom of the wire groove. An electrical connector is detachably connected to one end of the mounting bracket body. The electrical connector has several parallel electrical terminals. The probe wire passes through the through hole and connects to the electrical terminals. Two symmetrically arranged magnetic magnets are provided on the outside of the electrical connector. The magnetic magnets are positioned opposite to the corresponding magnetic components in the scanning thermal microscope assembly structure.

6. A tip holder for a scanning thermal microscope according to claim 5, characterized in that: The other end of the mounting bracket body is equipped with a pull handle, with an operation through hole in the middle of the pull handle and arc-shaped operation grooves on both sides of the pull handle.

7. A tip holder for a scanning thermal microscope according to claim 6, characterized in that: Guide plates are provided on both sides of the mounting bracket body, and the insertion end of the guide plate is tapered.

8. A tip holder for a scanning thermal microscope according to claim 7, characterized in that: The mounting bracket body has a clearance groove, which is positioned opposite to the tip of the probe.

9. A probe assembly method, comprising assembling a probe using the tip holder for a scanning thermal microscope as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The specific steps are as follows: Step S1: Place the mounting bracket body face up, move the detachable mounting tray along the dovetail guide rail until the positioning part is aligned with the positioning through hole and the detachable mounting tray is fixed. At this time, the highest side of the inclined mounting surface and the lowest side of the inclined support surface are in contact with each other. Step S2: Apply conductive adhesive to the electrode groove and the tip mounting groove, place the two electrodes of the probe in the electrode groove, and place the tip of the probe in the tip mounting groove and the tip limiting support groove. Step S3: After the conductive adhesive has cured, remove the detachable assembly bracket along the dovetail guide rail; Step S4: Hold the pull handle and insert the mounting bracket body with the probe facing up into the scanning thermal microscope. The magnet will attract the corresponding magnetic component in the scanning thermal microscope assembly structure, and the electrical terminals will be electrically connected to the terminals in the scanning head assembly structure.

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