A cantilever has a probe at a tip end. An optical system emits laser light to the cantilever and detects the laser light reflected by the cantilever. A measurement unit measures characteristics of a sample based on a displacement of the cantilever obtained by a change in a position of the laser light detected by the optical system. The laser light adjustment unit adjusts, when adjusting the optical axis of the laser light, a spot diameter of the laser light to be larger than the spot diameter when measuring the characteristics of a sample. The imaging unit captures an image of a range including the position of the probe when adjusting the optical axis of the laser light. The display unit displays the captured image.

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.

A device for calculating a position of an actuator, the actuator including a movement mechanism configured to move in one direction in proportion to a control signal generated for each minimum movement amount ΔM and a movement amount detection sensor configured to detect a movement amount of the movement mechanism in a minimum resolution ΔS, where A=ΔS/ΔM≧2, and the device includes a position calculation unit configured to calculating a position SA of the movement mechanism at a target position from the control signal at a time point T1, at which the sensor signal becomes (S0+m×ΔS) or (S0−m×ΔS), where m is a natural number of 1 or more, the control signal at the target position of the movement mechanism is denoted by M0, and the sensor signal is denoted by S0.

A device for calculating a position of an actuator, the actuator including a movement mechanism configured to move in one direction in proportion to a control signal generated for each minimum movement amount ΔM and a movement amount detection sensor configured to detect a movement amount of the movement mechanism in a minimum resolution ΔS, where A=ΔS/ΔM≧2, and the device includes a position calculation unit configured to calculating a position SA of the movement mechanism at a target position from the control signal at a time point T1, at which the sensor signal becomes (S0+m×ΔS) or (S0−m×ΔS), where m is a natural number of 1 or more, the control signal at the target position of the movement mechanism is denoted by M0, and the sensor signal is denoted by S0.

A modular AFM/SPM which provides faster measurements, in part through the use of smaller probes, of smaller forces and movements, free of noise artifacts, that the old generations of these devices have increasingly been unable to provide. The modular AFM/SPM includes a chassis, the foundation on which the modules of the instrument are supported; a view module providing the optics for viewing the sample and the probe; a head module providing the components for the optical lever arrangement and for steering and focusing those components; a scanner module providing the XYZ translation stage that actuates the sample in those dimensions and the engage mechanism; a isolation module that encloses the chassis and provides acoustic and/or thermal isolation for the instrument and an electronics module which, together with the separate controller, provide the electronics for acquiring and processing images and controlling the other functions of the instrument. All these modules and many of their subassemblies are replaceable and potentially upgradeable. This allows updating to new technology as it becomes available.

A modular AFM/SPM which provides faster measurements, in part through the use of smaller probes, of smaller forces and movements, free of noise artifacts, that the old generations of these devices have increasingly been unable to provide. The modular AFM/SPM includes a chassis, the foundation on which the modules of the instrument are supported; a view module providing the optics for viewing the sample and the probe; a head module providing the components for the optical lever arrangement and for steering and focusing those components; a scanner module providing the XYZ translation stage that actuates the sample in those dimensions and the engage mechanism; a isolation module that encloses the chassis and provides acoustic and/or thermal isolation for the instrument and an electronics module which, together with the separate controller, provide the electronics for acquiring and processing images and controlling the other functions of the instrument. All these modules and many of their subassemblies are replaceable and potentially upgradeable. This allows updating to new technology as it becomes available.

The present document relates to a heterodyne scanning probe microscopy (SPM) method for subsurface imaging, and includes: applying an acoustic input signal to a sample and sensing an acoustic output signal using a probe. The acoustic input signal comprises a plurality of signal components at unique frequencies, including a carrier frequency and at least two excitation frequencies. The carrier frequency and the excitation frequencies form a group of frequencies, which are distributed with an equal difference frequency between each two subsequent frequencies of the group. The difference frequency is below a sensitivity threshold frequency of the cantilever for enabling sensing of the acoustic output signal. The document also describes an SPM system.

The present document relates to a heterodyne scanning probe microscopy (SPM) method for subsurface imaging, and includes: applying an acoustic input signal to a sample and sensing an acoustic output signal using a probe. The acoustic input signal comprises a plurality of signal components at unique frequencies, including a carrier frequency and at least two excitation frequencies. The carrier frequency and the excitation frequencies form a group of frequencies, which are distributed with an equal difference frequency between each two subsequent frequencies of the group. The difference frequency is below a sensitivity threshold frequency of the cantilever for enabling sensing of the acoustic output signal. The document also describes an SPM system.

A truncated non-linear interferometer-based sensor system includes an input that receives an optical beam and a non-linear amplifier that generates a probe beam and a conjugate beam from the optical beam. The system's local oscillators are related to the probe beam and the conjugate beam. The system includes a sensor that transduces an input with the probe beam and the conjugate beam. The transduction detects changes in the phase of each of the probe beam and the conjugate beam. The system's phase sensitive detectors detect phase modulations between the respective local oscillators, the probe beam, and the conjugate beam and outputs phase signals based on detected phase modulations. The system measures phase signals indicative of the sensor's input resulting from a sum or difference of the phase signals. The measurement exhibits a quantum noise reduction in an intensity difference, a phase sum, or an amplitude difference quadrature.

A truncated non-linear interferometer-based sensor system includes an input that receives an optical beam and a non-linear amplifier that generates a probe beam and a conjugate beam from the optical beam. The system's local oscillators are related to the probe beam and the conjugate beam. The system includes a sensor that transduces an input with the probe beam and the conjugate beam. The transduction detects changes in the phase of each of the probe beam and the conjugate beam. The system's phase sensitive detectors detect phase modulations between the respective local oscillators, the probe beam, and the conjugate beam and outputs phase signals based on detected phase modulations. The system measures phase signals indicative of the sensor's input resulting from a sum or difference of the phase signals. The measurement exhibits a quantum noise reduction in an intensity difference, a phase sum, or an amplitude difference quadrature.