Apparatus and techniques for extracting information carried in higher eigenmodes or harmonics of an oscillating cantilever or other oscillating sensors in atomic force microscopy and related MEMs work are described. Similar apparatus and techniques for extracting information using contact resonance with multiple excitation signals are also described.

Apparatus and techniques for extracting information carried in higher eigenmodes or harmonics of an oscillating cantilever or other oscillating sensors in atomic force microscopy and related MEMs work are described. Similar apparatus and techniques for extracting information using contact resonance with multiple excitation signals are also described.

A scanning probe microscopy system for mapping nanostructures on a surface of a sample is described. The nanostructures include at least one face having a slope with a slope angle that exceeds a threshold. The system includes a metrology frame, a sample support structure, a sensor head including a probe which includes a cantilever and a probe tip, and an actuator for scanning the probe tip relative to the substrate surface. For sensing the nanostructures, the probe tip is arranged under a fixed offset angle with respect to the sensor head such as to be angled relative to the sample surface. The system further includes a sensor head carrier for receiving the sensor head, the sensor head carrier and the sensor head being provided with a mutually cooperating mounting structure for forming a kinematic mount having at least three contact points for detachable mounting of the sensor head on the sensor head carrier.

A scanning probe microscopy system for mapping nanostructures on a surface of a sample is described. The nanostructures include at least one face having a slope with a slope angle that exceeds a threshold. The system includes a metrology frame, a sample support structure, a sensor head including a probe which includes a cantilever and a probe tip, and an actuator for scanning the probe tip relative to the substrate surface. For sensing the nanostructures, the probe tip is arranged under a fixed offset angle with respect to the sensor head such as to be angled relative to the sample surface. The system further includes a sensor head carrier for receiving the sensor head, the sensor head carrier and the sensor head being provided with a mutually cooperating mounting structure for forming a kinematic mount having at least three contact points for detachable mounting of the sensor head on the sensor head carrier.

Systems and methods for rapidly identifying blank fields while capturing a plurality of color field images using a slide scanning microscope having a movable slide stage, a movable objective lens, and a digital video camera having a color digital image sensor that encodes RGB color data for each pixel in a field image.

Apparatus and techniques for extracting information carried in higher eigenmodes or harmonics of an oscillating cantilever or other oscillating sensors in atomic force microscopy and related MEMs work are described. Similar apparatus and techniques for extracting information using contact resonance with multiple excitation signals are also described.

Apparatus and techniques for extracting information carried in higher eigenmodes or harmonics of an oscillating cantilever or other oscillating sensors in atomic force microscopy and related MEMs work are described. Similar apparatus and techniques for extracting information using contact resonance with multiple excitation signals are also described.

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.

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.

A multi-tip nano-probe apparatus and a method for probing a sample while using the multi-tip nano-probe apparatus each employ located over a substrate: (1) an immovable probe tip with respect to the substrate; (2) a movable probe tip with respect to the substrate; and (3) a motion sensor that is coupled with the movable probe tip. The multi-tip nano-probe apparatus and related method provide for improved sample probing due to close coupling of the motion sensor with the movable probe tip, and also retractability of the movable probe tip with respect to the immovable probe tip.