A method of compensating for an artifact in data collected using a standard atomic force microscope (AFM) operating in an oscillating mode. The artifact is caused by deflection of the probe not related to actual probe-sample interaction and the method includes compensating for thermal induced bending of the probe of the AFM by measuring a DC component of the measured deflection. The DC component of deflection is identified by calibrating the optical deflection detection apparatus and monitoring movement of the mean deflection, thereby allowing the preferred embodiments to minimize the adverse effect due to the artifact. Notably, plotting the DC deflection profile yields a corresponding temperature profile of the sample.

A method of compensating for an artifact in data collected using a standard atomic force microscope (AFM) operating in an oscillating mode. The artifact is caused by deflection of the probe not related to actual probe-sample interaction and the method includes compensating for thermal induced bending of the probe of the AFM by measuring a DC component of the measured deflection. The DC component of deflection is identified by calibrating the optical deflection detection apparatus and monitoring movement of the mean deflection, thereby allowing the preferred embodiments to minimize the adverse effect due to the artifact. Notably, plotting the DC deflection profile yields a corresponding temperature profile of the sample.

Device for characterizing a sample includes a measuring instrument for determining a physical characteristic of the sample at one point thereof; a positioning system for positioning the measuring instrument relative to the sample, to obtain a measurement at a point localized on the sample. The positioning system includes: a locating target connected to the sample and defining a reference system linked thereto; elements for acquiring and analyzing images, including lighting elements for illuminating the target; an optical imaging system connected to the measuring instrument for acquiring an image of at least one portion of the target; and image analysis elements for analyzing the image to determine the position and orientation of the optical imaging system relative to the target; calibration elements for determining the position of the measuring instrument relative to the optical imaging system; and processing elements for processing the results of the image analysis and of the calibration.

Device for characterizing a sample includes a measuring instrument for determining a physical characteristic of the sample at one point thereof; a positioning system for positioning the measuring instrument relative to the sample, to obtain a measurement at a point localized on the sample. The positioning system includes: a locating target connected to the sample and defining a reference system linked thereto; elements for acquiring and analyzing images, including lighting elements for illuminating the target; an optical imaging system connected to the measuring instrument for acquiring an image of at least one portion of the target; and image analysis elements for analyzing the image to determine the position and orientation of the optical imaging system relative to the target; calibration elements for determining the position of the measuring instrument relative to the optical imaging system; and processing elements for processing the results of the image analysis and of the calibration.

The present invention relates to a method for examining a measuring tip of a scanning probe microscope, wherein the method includes the following steps: (a) generating at least one test structure before a sample is analyzed, or after said sample has been analyzed, by the measuring tip; and (b) examining the measuring tip with the aid of the at least one generated test structure.

Provided is a method of calibrating a nano measurement scale using a standard material including: measuring widths of a plurality of nanostructures included in the standard material and having pre-designated certified values of different sizes by a microscope; determining measured values for the widths of each of the plurality of nanostructures measured by the microscope based on a predetermined criterion; and calibrating a measurement scale of the microscope based on the certified values and the measured values.

A method includes scanning a probe laterally across a surface so that the probe follows a scanning motion across the surface and steering a detection beam onto the probe via a steering mirror, the detection beam reflecting from the probe in the form of a return beam. The method also includes moving the steering mirror so that the detection beam follows a tracking motion which is synchronous with the scanning motion and the detection beam remains steered onto the probe by the steering mirror and using the return beam to obtain image measurements, each indicative of a measured height of a respective point on the surface. An associated height error measurement is obtained for each point on the surface, each measurement being indicative of a respective error in the measured height. The height error measurements are used to correct the image measurements so as to generate corrected image measurements.

A method includes scanning a probe laterally across a surface so that the probe follows a scanning motion across the surface and steering a detection beam onto the probe via a steering mirror, the detection beam reflecting from the probe in the form of a return beam. The method also includes moving the steering mirror so that the detection beam follows a tracking motion which is synchronous with the scanning motion and the detection beam remains steered onto the probe by the steering mirror and using the return beam to obtain image measurements, each indicative of a measured height of a respective point on the surface. An associated height error measurement is obtained for each point on the surface, each measurement being indicative of a respective error in the measured height. The height error measurements are used to correct the image measurements so as to generate corrected image measurements.

The invention is directed at a method of performing scanning probe microscopy on a substrate surface using a scanning probe microscopy system. A probe tip and substrate surface are moved relative to each other in one or more directions parallel to the scanning plane to position the probe tip to a scanning position on the substrate surface with the probe tip; a displacement is measured by an encoder of said probe tip in said one or more directions; and a fiducial pattern is provided fixed relative to the substrate surface, said fiducial pattern having a scannable structure that is scannable by said probe tip and said structure forming a grid of fiducial marks in said one or more dimensions; said grid dimensioned to allow for measuring placement deviations of the probe tip relative to the probe head by identifying one or more fiducial marks in the fiducial pattern.

The present invention relates to a method for examining a measuring tip of a scanning probe microscope, wherein the method includes the following steps: (a) generating at least one test structure before a sample is analyzed, or after said sample has been analyzed, by the measuring tip; and (b) examining the measuring tip with the aid of the at least one generated test structure.