1016 results about "Scanning probe microscopy" patented technology

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for a scanning probe microscope, comprising a measuring assembly which includes a lateral shifting unit to displace a probe in a plane, a vertical shifting unit to displace the probe in a direction perpendicular to the plane, and a specimen support to receive a specimen. A condenser light path is formed through the measuring assembly so that the specimen support is located in the area of an end of the condenser light path.

A microfabricated probe array for nanolithography and process for designing and fabricating the probe array. The probe array consists of individual probes that can be moved independently using thermal bimetallic actuation or electrostatic actuation methods. The probe array can be used to produce traces of diffusively transferred chemicals on the substrate with sub-1 micrometer resolution, and can function as an arrayed scanning probe microscope for subsequent reading and variation of transferred patterns.

A probe structure for a scanning probe microscope comprises a nanowhisker (16,34) projecting from a free end of an upstanding tip member (4,26), and being formed integrally with the tip member. In another embodiment, a data storage medium comprises an array of nanowhiskers (54), each nanowhisker being formed from magnetic material, the diameter of the nanowhisker being such that a single ferromagnetic domain exists within the nanowhisker, preferably having a diameter not greater than about 25 nm and more preferably not greater than about 10 nm, and a read/write structure comprising the probe structure for injecting a stream of spin-polarised electrons into a selected nanowhisker of the array, either for sensing the direction of magnetisation in the nanowhisker, or for forcing the nanowhisker into a desired direction of magnetisation. When the probe nanowhisker is formed by a VLS process using a catalytic particle melt, the whisker may be formed with a sacrificial segment to allow for removal of the catalytic material by selective etching of the segment.

A method is described for catalyst-induced growth of carbon nanotubes, nanofibers, and other nanostructures on the tips of nanowires, cantilevers, conductive micro/nanometer structures, wafers and the like. The method can be used for production of carbon nanotube-anchored cantilevers that can significantly improve the performance of scaning probe microscopy (AFM, EFM etc). The invention can also be used in many other processes of micro and/or nanofabrication with carbon nanotubes/fibers. Key elements of this invention include: (1) Proper selection of a metal catalyst and programmable pulsed electrolytic deposition of the desired specific catalyst precisely at the tip of a substrate, (2) Catalyst-induced growth of carbon nanotubes/fibers at the catalyst-deposited tips, (3) Control of carbon nanotube/fiber growth pattern by manipulation of tip shape and growth conditions, and (4) Automation for mass production.

A scanning probe microscope probe is disclosed. The scanning probe microscope probe includes a handle and a cantilever shank connected with the handle. The cantilever shank has at one end a base connected with the handle and at an opposing end a tip. The cantilever shank forms a capillary channel between the base to the tip of the cantilever shank.

A method for manufacturing carbon nanotubes with an integrally attached outer graphitic layer is disclosed. The graphitic layer improves the ability to handle and manipulate the nanometer size nanotube device in various applications, such as a probe tip in scanning probe microscopes and optical microscopes, or as an electron emitting device. A thermal chemical vapor deposition reactor is the preferred reaction vessel in which a transition metal catalyst with an inert gas, hydrogen gas and a carbon-containing gas mixture are heated at various temperatures in a range between 500° C. and 1000° C. with gases and temperatures being adjusted periodically during the reaction times required to grow the nanotube core and subsequently grow the desired outer graphitic layer.

High speed, wide area microscopic scanning or laser positioning is accomplished with an inertia-less deflector (for example an acousto-optic or electro-optic deflector) combined with a high speed wide area microscopic scanning mechanism or laser positioner mechanism that has inertia, the motion of the inertia-less deflector specially controlled to enable a focused spot to stabilize, for example to stop and dwell or be quickly aimed. It leads to improved data acquisition from extremely small objects and higher speed operation. In the case of fluorescence reading of micro-array elements, dwelling of fluorophore-exciting radiation in a spot that is relatively large enables obtaining the most fluorescent photons per array element, per unit time, a winning criterion for reducing fluorophore saturation effects. The same inertia-less deflector performs stop and dwell scanning, edge detection and raster scans. Automated mechanism for changing laser spot size enables selection of spot size optimal for the action being performed.

Nano-electromechanical device having an electrically conductive nano-cantilever wherein the nano-cantilever has a free end that is movable relative to an electrically conductive substrate such as an electrode of a circuit. The circuit includes a power source connected to the electrode and to the nano-cantilever for providing a pull-in or pull-out voltage therebetween to effect bending movement of the nano-cantilever relative to the electrode. Feedback control is provided for varying the voltage between the electrode and the nano-cantilever in response to the position of the cantilever relative to the electrode. The device provides two stable positions of the nano-cantilever and a hysteresis loop in the current-voltage space between the pull-in voltage and the pull-out voltage. A first stable position of the nano-cantilever is provided at sub-nanometer gap between the free end of the nano-cantilever and the electrode with a pull-in voltage applied and with a stable tunneling electrical current present in the circuit. A second stable position of the nano-cantilever is provided with a pull-out voltage between the cantilever and the electrode with little or no tunneling electrical current present in the circuit. The nano-electromechanical device can be used in a scanning probe microscope, ultrasonic wave detection sensor, NEMS switch, random access memory element, gap sensor, logic device, and a bio-sensor when the nano-cantilever is functionalized with biomolecules that interact with species present in the ambient environment be them in air or aqueous solutions. In the latest case, the NEMS needs to be integrated with a microfluidic system.

Membrane proteins are difficult to express in recombinant form, purify, and characterize, at least in part due to their hydrophobic or partially hydrophobic properties. The membrane scaffold proteins (MSP) of the present invention assemble with target membrane or other hydrophobic or partially hydrophobic proteins or membrane fragments to form soluble nanoscale particles which preserve their native structure and function; they are improved over liposomes and detergent micelles. In the presence of phospholipid, MSPs form nanoscopic phospholipid bilayer disks, with the MSP stabilizing the particle at the perimeter of the bilayer domain. The particle bilayer structure allows manipulation of incorporated proteins in solution or on solid supports, including for use with such surface-sensitive techniques as scanning probe microscopy or surface plasmon resonance. The nanoscale particles, which are robust in terms of integrity and maintenance of biological activity of incorporated proteins, facilitate pharmaceutical and biological research, structure/function correlation, structure determination, bioseparation, and drug discovery.

This invention has applications as a scanning probe microscope/nanomanipulator with consumer gaming applications. An integrated compound lever cantilever which can function simultaneously as both a sample substrate actuator and probe tip scanner actuator for modulation of one or more probe tip. In one embodiment a piezoelectric multimorph MEMS structure is fabricated which serves as a Scanning Probe Microscope cantilever probe tip scanner and allows for the substrate to be moved in more than 1 Degree of freedom with subnanometer resolution. Nanomanipulation means such as nanotweezer, nanopore and nanomachine embodiments are possible uses for the device in addition to data storage. Parallel array operation of many sets of cantilevers is a preferred embodiment which can be used as a nanoscale manipulation and fabrication means. In addition an embodiment where the actuation effects of the device are used to propel the scanner can allow for a programmable drivable MEMS/NEMS based autonomous or semi-autonomous robotic scanner, manipulator and assembler. The device has embodiments where it is essentially a planarized MEMS/NEMS derivative version of a Besocke type scanner. The invention also discloses uses for scanning probe microscopes and nanomanipulators as means for gaming systems, erector set and chemistry kit for entertainment and educational applications. Other applications include rotational actuation, linear motion and spooling of material on rotational bodies through coordination of the actuator probe or probes.

A scanning probe microscopy (SPM) inspection and/or modification system which uses SPM technology and techniques. The system includes various types of microstructured SPM probes for inspection and/or modification of the object. The components of the SPM system include microstructured calibration structures. A probe may be defective because of wear or because of fabrication errors. Various types of reference measurements of the calibration structure are made with the probe or vice versa to calibrate it. The components of the SPM system further include one or more tip machining structures. At these structures, material of the tips of the SPM probes may be machined by abrasively lapping and chemically lapping the material of the tip with the tip machining structures.

Near-field Raman imaging is performed by holding a dielectric microsphere (e.g. of polystyrene) on or just above the surface of a sample in a Raman microscope. An illuminating laser beam is focused by the microsphere so as to produce a near-field interaction with the sample. Raman scattered light at shifted wavelengths is collected and analysed. The microsphere may be mounted on a cantilever of an atomic force microscope or other scanning probe microscope, which provides feedback to hold it in position relative to the sample surface. Alternatively, the microsphere may be held on the sample surface by an optical tweezer effect of the illuminating laser beam.

Methods are disclosed that provide for structures and techniques for the fabrication of ordered arrangements of crystallographically determined nanometer scale steps on single crystal substrates, particularly SiC. The ordered nanometer scale step structures are produced on the top surfaces of mesas by a combination of growth and etching processes. These structures, sometimes referred to herein as artifacts, are to enable step-height calibration, particularly suitable for scanning probe microscopes and profilometers, from less than one nanometer (nm) to greater than 10 nm, with substantially no atomic scale roughness of the plateaus on either side of each step.

A sensor for detecting mechanical perturbations represented by a change in an electrical signal includes a structure such as a cantilever, membrane, etc. and a field effect transistor such as a MOSFET embedded in the structure. The drain current of the embedded transistor changes with mechanical perturbations in the structure caused, for example, by a biochemical interaction being sensed. A scanning probe microscope utilizes the embedded MOSFET with a BiMOS actuator.

The preferred embodiments are directed to a method and apparatus of operating a scanning probe microscope (SPM) including oscillating a probe of the SPM at a torsional resonance of the probe, and generally simultaneously measuring an electrical property, e.g., a current, capacitance, impedance, etc., between a probe of the SPM and a sample at a separation controlled by the torsional resonance mode. Preferably, the measuring step is performed while using torsional resonance feedback to maintain a set-point of SPM operation.

The present invention provides an MFM or MRFM analytical device comprising a micro-dimensional probe that is capable of detecting single proton and single electron spin. Furthermore, it provides an MFM or MRFM device comprising a micro-dimensional probe, that is capable of detecting magnetic structures of size of order one nanometer. In particular, the present invention provides a micro-dimensional probe for an MFM or MRFM device that comprises a CNT cantilever that comprises a nanoscale ferromagnetic material. The CNT cantilever can be attached to an electrode as a component of a microscopic probe which is coupled with an electrical circuit as a component of a device for nanoscale MFM or MRFM micro-dimensional probes. The device comprising the probe and electrical circuit can be incorporated into an existing scanning probe microscope (SPM) apparatus having accommodation for electrical readout.

The present invention provides a system and method for detecting and repairing defects in semiconductor devices. According to the invention, defects are located using a scanning probe microscope, such as an atomic force microscope or a scanning tunneling microscope, and repaired at locations determined by the scanning probe microscope. The microscope itself, and in particular the detection tip, may be employed to remove the defects. For example, the tip may be used to machine away the defect, to apply an electric field to oxidize the defect, and/or to heat the defect causing it to burn or vaporize. By combining precise defect location capabilities of a scanning probe microscope with defect removal, the invention permits very precise correction of defects such as excess material and foreign particles on semiconductor substrates.

A method of scanning probe microscopy includes using a cantilever having a planar body, generally opposed first and second ends, and a tip disposed generally adjacent the second end and extending downwardly towards a surface of a sample. Preferably, the sample is disposed on a support surface. The method includes directing a beam of light onto the second end in a direction substantially parallel to the support surface. In operation, the second end directs the beam towards a detector apparatus at a particular angle. Then, the method monitors a change in the angle of deflection of the beam of light caused by deflection of the cantilever as the cantilever tip traverses the surface of the sample, the change being indicative of a characteristic of the surface. Preferably, the second end includes a flat reflective surface, with the flat reflective surface being generally non-planar with respect to the planar body of the cantilever. In addition, the flat reflective surface comprises a mirror fixed to the second end, while in another embodiment, the flat reflective surface is microfabricated integrally with the cantilever.