Probe mechanism and scanning tunneling microscope having the same

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of probe mechanisms, including mounting seat, needle tip slot, movable seat, sample groove, first piezoelectric ceramic group, second piezoelectric ceramic group and third piezoelectric ceramic group;First piezoelectric ceramic group, second piezoelectric ceramic group and third piezoelectric ceramic group respectively include at least one piezoelectric ceramic mechanism, piezoelectric ceramic mechanism includes the ordinary ceramic plate, electrode plate and mounting plate that are sequentially laminated, and piezoelectric ceramic plate is connected in electrode plate at least one side along its laminated direction;In first piezoelectric ceramic group, mounting plate is used to detachably connect mounting seat, ordinary ceramic plate is used to butt needle tip slot;In second piezoelectric ceramic group, mounting plate is used to detachably connect mounting seat, ordinary ceramic plate is used to butt movable seat;In third piezoelectric ceramic group, mounting plate is used to detachably connect movable seat, ordinary ceramic plate is used to butt sample groove.The utility model probe mechanism and scanning tunneling microscope can reduce maintenance difficulty and maintenance cost, and the scope of application is wider.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to a probe mechanism and a scanning tunneling microscope having the same. Background Technology

[0002] In a scanning tunneling microscope, piezoelectric ceramics are energized to deform them, thereby driving the tip groove and sample groove to move accordingly, which in turn drives the tip holder and sample holder to move to a specified height and a specified position, respectively.

[0003] In existing technologies, piezoelectric ceramics are generally directly connected to the main structure of a scanning tunneling microscope via high-strength adhesives or welding processes to achieve precise driving of the tip's three-dimensional scanning motion. This connection structure has the following disadvantages:

[0004] 1. Difficult to maintain: piezoelectric ceramics are prone to performance degradation and polarization failure after long-term use. The integrated structure requires disassembling the scanning tunneling microscope body for maintenance, which is cumbersome and can easily damage other precision components.

[0005] Second, upgrades are limited, and it is impossible to replace the piezoelectric ceramic assembly with different performance parameters according to experimental needs, which restricts the expansion of instrument functions and narrows the scope of application.

[0006] Third, the maintenance cost is high. When the piezoelectric ceramic is partially damaged, the entire core drive module needs to be replaced, resulting in a waste of resources. Utility Model Content

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a probe mechanism and a scanning tunneling microscope having the same, which can reduce maintenance difficulty and repair costs, and has a wide range of applications.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows:

[0009] A probe mechanism includes a mounting base with a hollow inner cavity, a needle tip groove movably disposed in the mounting base, a movable seat movably disposed in the mounting base in a horizontal direction, a sample slot movably disposed in the movable seat in a horizontal direction, a first piezoelectric ceramic assembly abutting between the mounting base and the needle tip groove and used to drive the movement of the needle tip groove, a second piezoelectric ceramic assembly abutting between the mounting base and the movable seat and used to drive the movement of the movable seat, and a third piezoelectric ceramic assembly abutting between the movable seat and the sample slot and used to drive the movement of the sample slot, wherein the needle tip groove and the sample slot are arranged at intervals in the vertical direction;

[0010] The first piezoelectric ceramic group, the second piezoelectric ceramic group, and the third piezoelectric ceramic group each include at least one piezoelectric ceramic mechanism. The piezoelectric ceramic mechanism includes a conventional ceramic plate, an electrode plate, and a mounting plate stacked sequentially, and a piezoelectric ceramic plate connected to at least one side of the electrode plate along its stacking direction.

[0011] In the first piezoelectric ceramic assembly, the mounting plate is used to detachably connect to the mounting base, and the ordinary ceramic plate is used to abut against the needle tip groove; in the second piezoelectric ceramic assembly, the mounting plate is used to detachably connect to the mounting base, and the ordinary ceramic plate is used to abut against the movable base; in the third piezoelectric ceramic assembly, the mounting plate is used to detachably connect to the movable base, and the ordinary ceramic plate is used to abut against the sample groove.

[0012] Preferably, the components in the piezoelectric ceramic mechanism are bonded together sequentially along their stacking direction.

[0013] More preferably, the mounting plate includes a mounting body for mating and bonding, a protrusion at the end of the mounting body, and a mounting hole formed on the protrusion; the piezoelectric ceramic mechanism further includes bolts for mounting the mounting plate through the mounting hole.

[0014] More preferably, the piezoelectric ceramic mechanism further includes wiring holes formed on the mounting body, wherein when the piezoelectric ceramic plate is disposed between the electrode plate and the mounting plate, the piezoelectric ceramic plate and the wiring holes are staggered.

[0015] More preferably, there are two protrusions, which are respectively located at opposite ends of the mounting body along its length.

[0016] Preferably, the piezoelectric ceramic plates are connected to both sides of the electrode plate along its stacking direction, and the piezoelectric ceramic plates on both sides of the electrode plate are aligned along its stacking direction.

[0017] A scanning tunneling microscope includes the probe mechanism described above. The scanning tunneling microscope also includes a frame and a shock-absorbing mechanism mounted on the frame for suspending the mounting base. The shock-absorbing mechanism includes a plurality of springs arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction. The springs are connected to the frame and the mounting base through their upper and lower ends, respectively. The springs are inclined in the direction from the upper outer edge to the lower inner edge.

[0018] Preferably, the multiple springs are arranged at uniform intervals along the circumferential direction.

[0019] Preferably, in either the frame or the mounting base, the shock absorption mechanism further includes a magnet disposed on one of them and a highly conductive metal component disposed on the other for cutting magnetic field lines.

[0020] More preferably, there are multiple magnets and multiple highly conductive metal parts, and the multiple magnets and multiple highly conductive metal parts are arranged sequentially at intervals along the circumferential direction, with the same number of both and aligned one-to-one along the radial direction.

[0021] Due to the application of the above technical solution, this utility model has the following advantages compared with the prior art: The probe mechanism and scanning tunneling microscope of this utility model, by setting a piezoelectric ceramic mechanism in the mounting base, stacks ordinary ceramic plates, electrode plates and mounting plates in sequence, and connects the piezoelectric ceramic plate to at least one side of the electrode plate along its stacking direction. This structure can not only drive the needle tip groove or sample groove to move by the deformation of the piezoelectric ceramic plate in conjunction with the ordinary ceramic plate, but also remove the corresponding piezoelectric ceramic mechanism by removing the mounting plate, thereby reducing maintenance difficulty and repair costs, and has a wide range of applications. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Appendix Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a scanning tunneling microscope according to a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Appendix Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of a scanning tunneling microscope according to a specific embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Appendix Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the piezoelectric ceramic mechanism;

[0025] Appendix Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure in which the movable seat is installed in the mounting base;

[0026] Appendix Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the sample cell installed in the sliding seat.

[0027] Appendix Figure 6 This is a front view schematic diagram of the sample cell installed in the sliding seat.

[0028] The components include: 1. Mounting base; 2. Needle tip groove; 3. Movable seat; 4. Sample holder; 5.

[0029] 6. First piezoelectric ceramic assembly; 7. Second piezoelectric ceramic assembly; 8. Third piezoelectric ceramic assembly; 9. Piezoelectric ceramic mechanism; 10. Ordinary ceramic plate; 11. Electrode plate; 12. Mounting plate; 13. Mounting body; 14. Protrusion; 15. Mounting hole; 16. Piezoelectric ceramic plate; 17. Wiring hole; 18. Frame; 19. Shock absorption mechanism; 100. Spring; 101. Magnet; 102. High conductivity metal part; 11. Needle tip holder; 12. Sample holder. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The technical solution of this utility model will be further described below with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0031] In the following description, only certain exemplary embodiments are briefly described. As those skilled in the art will recognize, the described embodiments can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Therefore, the drawings and description are considered to be exemplary in nature and not restrictive.

[0032] In the description of the embodiments of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "length", "inner", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this utility model and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on the embodiments of this utility model.

[0033] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of embodiments of this utility model, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0034] In this embodiment of the invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a communication connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this embodiment of the invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0035] In this embodiment of the invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0036] The following disclosure provides many different implementations or examples for different structures of the embodiments of the present invention. To simplify the disclosure of the embodiments of the present invention, specific examples of components and arrangements are described below. Of course, these are merely examples and are not intended to limit the embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or reference letters may be repeated in different examples of the embodiments of the present invention; such repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various implementations and / or arrangements discussed.

[0037] See Figure 1-2 , Figure 4-6 As shown, this embodiment provides a probe mechanism, including a mounting base 1 with a hollow inner cavity, a needle tip groove 2 movably disposed in the mounting base 1, a movable seat 3 movably disposed in the mounting base 1 in a horizontal direction, a sample groove 4 movably disposed in the movable seat 3 in a horizontal direction, a first piezoelectric ceramic assembly 5 abutting between the mounting base 1 and the needle tip groove 2 and used to drive the movement of the needle tip groove 2, a second piezoelectric ceramic assembly 6 abutting between the mounting base 1 and the movable seat 3 and used to drive the movement of the movable seat 3, and a third piezoelectric ceramic assembly 7 abutting between the movable seat 3 and the sample groove 4 and used to drive the movement of the sample groove 4. The needle tip groove 2 and the sample groove 4 are arranged at intervals in the vertical direction. The needle tip groove 2 is inserted into the needle tip holder 11, and the sample groove 4 is inserted into the sample holder 12.

[0038] The first piezoelectric ceramic group 5, the second piezoelectric ceramic group 6, and the third piezoelectric ceramic group 7 each include at least one piezoelectric ceramic mechanism 8. (See below) Figure 3 As shown, the piezoelectric ceramic mechanism 8 includes a conventional ceramic plate 81, an electrode plate 82, and a mounting plate 83 stacked sequentially, and a piezoelectric ceramic plate 84 connected to at least one side of the electrode plate 82 along its stacking direction.

[0039] In the first piezoelectric ceramic assembly 5, the mounting plate 83 is used to detachably connect to the mounting base 1, and the ordinary ceramic plate 81 is used to abut against the needle tip groove 2. The needle tip groove 2 is driven to move by the energized deformation of the piezoelectric ceramic plate 84 in conjunction with the ordinary ceramic plate 81. In the second piezoelectric ceramic assembly 6, the mounting plate 83 is used to detachably connect to the mounting base 1, and the ordinary ceramic plate 81 is used to abut against the movable base 3. The movable base 3 is driven to move by the energized deformation of the piezoelectric ceramic plate 84 in conjunction with the ordinary ceramic plate 81. In the third piezoelectric ceramic assembly 7, the mounting plate 83 is used to detachably connect to the movable base 3, and the ordinary ceramic plate 81 is used to abut against the sample groove 4. The sample groove 4 is driven to move by the energized deformation of the piezoelectric ceramic plate 84 in conjunction with the ordinary ceramic plate 81.

[0040] The components of the piezoelectric ceramic mechanism 8 described above are bonded together sequentially along their stacking direction. See also... Figure 3As shown, in this embodiment, piezoelectric ceramic plates 84 are connected to both the upper and lower sides of the electrode plate 82. The ordinary ceramic plate 81, the upper piezoelectric ceramic plate 84, the electrode plate 82, the lower piezoelectric ceramic plate 84 and the mounting plate 83 are bonded together from top to bottom.

[0041] See Figure 3 As shown, the mounting plate 83 includes a mounting body 831 for bonding, a protrusion 832 protruding from the end of the mounting body 831, and a mounting hole 833 formed on the protrusion 832. The piezoelectric ceramic mechanism 8 also includes bolts for mounting the mounting plate 83 through the mounting hole 833. In this embodiment, there are two protrusions 832, which are respectively provided at opposite ends of the mounting body 831 along its length.

[0042] This structure not only allows the movement of the needle tip groove 2 or sample groove 4 through the energized deformation of the piezoelectric ceramic plate 84 in conjunction with the ordinary ceramic plate 81, but also allows the corresponding piezoelectric ceramic mechanism 8 to be removed separately by removing the mounting plate 83, which has the following advantages:

[0043] First, it has low maintenance difficulty. Piezoelectric ceramics are prone to performance degradation and polarization failure after long-term use. This structure allows for quick and targeted disassembly, avoiding the complete disassembly of the scanning tunneling microscope body. The operation is simple and can avoid damage to other precision components.

[0044] Second, it has a wide range of applications and can replace the piezoelectric ceramic assembly with different performance parameters according to experimental needs, thereby expanding the function of the instrument.

[0045] Third, the maintenance cost is low. When the piezoelectric ceramic is partially damaged, only the corresponding piezoelectric ceramic assembly needs to be replaced, avoiding the waste of resources caused by replacing the whole assembly.

[0046] In this embodiment, the piezoelectric ceramic mechanism 8 further includes a wiring hole 85 formed on the mounting body 831. When the piezoelectric ceramic plate 84 is disposed between the electrode plate 82 and the mounting plate 83, the piezoelectric ceramic plate 84 and the wiring hole 85 are staggered. In this embodiment, there are two lower piezoelectric ceramic plates 84, which are spaced apart from each other, and the wiring hole 85 is located between the two piezoelectric ceramic plates 84.

[0047] In this embodiment, piezoelectric ceramic plates 84 are connected to both sides of the electrode plate 82 along its stacking direction. There are also two piezoelectric ceramic plates 84 on the upper layer, which are aligned one-to-one with the two piezoelectric ceramic plates 84 on the lower layer along the stacking direction.

[0048] See Figure 1-2As shown, this embodiment provides a scanning tunneling microscope, including the probe mechanism described above. The scanning tunneling microscope also includes a frame 9 and a shock-absorbing mechanism 10 mounted on the frame 9 for suspending the mounting base 1. The shock-absorbing mechanism 10 includes multiple springs 101 arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction. The springs 101 are connected to the frame 9 and the mounting base 1 through their upper and lower ends, respectively. The springs 101 are inclined from the upper outer direction to the lower inner direction and are tension springs. By adopting the structure of inclined tension springs, not only can the vibration of the mounting base 1 in the vertical direction be buffered, but the vibration of the mounting base 1 in the horizontal plane can also be buffered. In this embodiment, the multiple springs 101 are evenly arranged at intervals along the circumferential direction.

[0049] In both the frame 9 and the mounting base 1, the vibration damping mechanism 10 also includes a magnet 102 disposed on one of them and a highly conductive metal component 103 disposed on the other for cutting magnetic field lines. The magnet 102 and the highly conductive metal component 103 constitute a magnetic damper. When the vibration of the mounting base 1 is transmitted to the magnetic damper, the kinetic energy of the vibration is converted into eddy currents and finally dissipated in the form of heat energy, thereby achieving vibration attenuation.

[0050] In this embodiment, there are multiple magnets 102 and multiple highly conductive metal parts 103. The multiple magnets 102 and multiple highly conductive metal parts 103 are arranged sequentially at intervals along the circumferential direction. The number of both is the same and they are aligned one by one along the radial direction.

[0051] The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of this utility model, and are intended to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of this utility model and implement it accordingly. They should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this utility model. All equivalent changes or modifications made in accordance with the spirit and essence of this utility model should be included within the scope of protection of this utility model.

Claims

1. A probe mechanism, characterized in that: The device includes a mounting base with a hollow inner cavity, a needle tip groove movable vertically within the mounting base, a movable seat movable horizontally within the mounting base, a sample slot movable horizontally within the movable seat, a first piezoelectric ceramic assembly abutting between the mounting base and the needle tip groove and used to drive the movement of the needle tip groove, a second piezoelectric ceramic assembly abutting between the mounting base and the movable seat and used to drive the movement of the movable seat, and a third piezoelectric ceramic assembly abutting between the movable seat and the sample slot and used to drive the movement of the sample slot. The needle tip groove and the sample slot are arranged at intervals in the vertical direction. The first piezoelectric ceramic group, the second piezoelectric ceramic group, and the third piezoelectric ceramic group each include at least one piezoelectric ceramic mechanism. The piezoelectric ceramic mechanism includes a conventional ceramic plate, an electrode plate, and a mounting plate stacked sequentially, and a piezoelectric ceramic plate connected to at least one side of the electrode plate along its stacking direction. In the first piezoelectric ceramic assembly, the mounting plate is used to detachably connect to the mounting base, and the ordinary ceramic plate is used to abut against the needle tip groove; in the second piezoelectric ceramic assembly, the mounting plate is used to detachably connect to the mounting base, and the ordinary ceramic plate is used to abut against the movable base; in the third piezoelectric ceramic assembly, the mounting plate is used to detachably connect to the movable base, and the ordinary ceramic plate is used to abut against the sample groove.

2. The probe mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The components in the piezoelectric ceramic mechanism are bonded together sequentially along their stacking direction.

3. The probe mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: The mounting plate includes a mounting body for bonding, a protrusion at the end of the mounting body, and a mounting hole on the protrusion; the piezoelectric ceramic mechanism also includes bolts for mounting the mounting plate through the mounting hole.

4. The probe mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that: The piezoelectric ceramic mechanism also includes wiring holes formed on the mounting body. When the piezoelectric ceramic plate is disposed between the electrode plate and the mounting plate, the piezoelectric ceramic plate and the wiring holes are staggered.

5. The probe mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that: There are two protrusions, which are respectively located at opposite ends of the mounting body along its length.

6. The probe mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The electrode plate is connected to the piezoelectric ceramic plate on both sides along its stacking direction, and the piezoelectric ceramic plates on both sides of the electrode plate are aligned along its stacking direction.

7. A scanning tunneling microscope, comprising the probe mechanism according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that: The scanning tunneling microscope also includes a frame and a shock-absorbing mechanism mounted on the frame for suspending the mounting base. The shock-absorbing mechanism includes multiple springs arranged at intervals along the circumference. The springs are connected to the frame and the mounting base at their upper and lower ends, respectively. The springs are inclined from the upper outer edge to the lower inner edge.

8. The scanning tunneling microscope according to claim 7, characterized in that: The multiple springs are evenly spaced along the circumferential direction.

9. The scanning tunneling microscope according to claim 7, characterized in that: In both the frame and the mounting base, the shock absorption mechanism further includes a magnet disposed on one of them and a highly conductive metal component disposed on the other for cutting magnetic field lines.

10. The scanning tunneling microscope according to claim 9, characterized in that: There are multiple magnets and multiple highly conductive metal parts, and the multiple magnets and multiple highly conductive metal parts are arranged sequentially at intervals along the circumferential direction. The number of both is the same and they are aligned one by one along the radial direction.

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