Peter R Swift

US Patent:

54969999, Mar 5, 1996

Filed:

Oct 11, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/320490

Inventors:

Frederick I. Linker - Menlo Park CA
Michael D. Kirk - San Jose CA
John D. Alexander - Sunnyvale CA
Sang-il Park - Palo Alto CA
Sung-il Park - San Jose CA
Ian R. Smith - Los Gatos CA
Peter R. Swift - Amherst MA

International Classification:

H01J 3726

US Classification:

250306

Abstract:

A scanning probe microscope having numerous advantages is disclosed. Respective scanning force and scanning tunneling probes are removably mounted in the head using kinematic mounting techniques so that they may be substituted for one another without the need to adjust the cantilever deflection sensor. A linear position-sensitive photodetector in the deflection sensor eliminates further the need for adjustments. A motorized, non-stacked x,y coarse movement stage is kinematically positioned with respect to the base and features a minimized mechanical loop to reduce thermal and vibrational effects on the position of the sample. A z coarse movement stage positions the head kinematically with respect to the base and includes a motorized drive means which allows the height, tilt and pitch of the probe to be adjusted. The scanner includes x,y and z sample position detectors which provide an accurate measurement of the position of the sample with respect to the probe. The z position detector provides an output which is exclusive of sample tilt and which may be used as an output of the scanning probe microscope.