The present invention relates to a cantilever or membrane comprising a body and an elongated beam attached to the body. The elongated beam includes a first layer comprising a first material, a second layer comprising a second material having an elastic modulus different to that of the first material, a third layer comprising a third material having an elastic modulus different to that of the first material, where the first layer is sandwiched between the second layer and the third layer.

A probe for atomic force microscopy comprises a tip for atomic force microscopy oriented in a longitudinal direction, wherein: the tip is arranged at one end of a sensitive part of the probe, which is movable or deformable and linked to a support structure, which is anchored to the main surface of the substrate; the sensitive portion and the support structure are planar elements, extending mainly in planes that are parallel to the main surface of the substrate; the sensitive portion is linked to the support structure via at least one element allowing the sensitive portion to be displaced or to be extended in this direction; and the tip, the sensitive part and the support structure protrude from an edge of the substrate in the longitudinal direction. An atomic force microscope comprising at least one such probe is also provided.

An atomic-force microscope system is provided including: an electrically conducting cantilever support; an electrically insulating element; and an electrically conducting cantilever anchored at a first end to the cantilever support via the insulating element, the cantilever including a probe tip at a second end opposite to the first end and the cantilever support is configured as a backside electrode of the cantilever for backside actuation thereof; a Fabry-Perot interferometer including: a resonator with a first mirror defined on the cantilever; and a second mirror defined on the cantilever support having a first side and a second side configured to allow light injection, opposite to the first side, the latter extending at least partly vis--vis the first mirror. The interferometer includes a light-emitting device, and a detector configured for detecting a property of the system impacted by interferences of light emitted by the light-emitting device. Methods of operations are also provided.

A microelectromechanical device comprising a mechanical structure extending along a longitudinal direction, linked to a planar substrate by an anchorage situated at one of its ends and able to flex in a plane parallel to the substrate, the mechanical structure comprises a joining portion, which links it to each anchorage and includes a resistive region exhibiting a first and second zone for injecting an electric current to form a resistive transducer, the resistive region extending in the longitudinal direction from an anchorage and arranged so a flexion of the mechanical structure in the plane parallel to the substrate induces a non-zero average strain in the resistive region and vice versa; wherein: the first injection zone is carried by the anchorage; and the second injection zone is carried by a conducting element not fixed to the substrate and extending in a direction, termed lateral, substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

A microelectromechanical device comprising a mechanical structure extending along a longitudinal direction, linked to a planar substrate by an anchorage situated at one of its ends and able to flex in a plane parallel to the substrate, the mechanical structure comprises a joining portion, which links it to each anchorage and includes a resistive region exhibiting a first and second zone for injecting an electric current to form a resistive transducer, the resistive region extending in the longitudinal direction from an anchorage and arranged so a flexion of the mechanical structure in the plane parallel to the substrate induces a non-zero average strain in the resistive region and vice versa; wherein: the first injection zone is carried by the anchorage; and the second injection zone is carried by a conducting element not fixed to the substrate and extending in a direction, termed lateral, substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

An atomic-force-microscope-based apparatus and method including hardware and software, configured to collect, in a dynamic fashion, and analyze data representing mechanical properties of soft materials on a nanoscale, to map viscoelastic properties of a soft-material sample. The use of the apparatus as an addition to the existing atomic-force microscope device.

An atomic-force-microscope-based apparatus and method including hardware and software, configured to collect, in a dynamic fashion, and analyze data representing mechanical properties of soft materials on a nanoscale, to map viscoelastic properties of a soft-material sample. The use of the apparatus as an addition to the existing atomic-force microscope device.

A polymeric micro-arm apparatus and method to use the same. The apparatus comprises of an elongated hollow polymeric structure with a distal end and a proximal end, an opening near the distal end, a main body attached to the polymeric structure means to move the polymeric structure, means to generate fluid flow through the opening, means to measure a flowrate of the fluid flow through the opening; and an element embedded in the polymeric structure, wherein the element is configured to detect when the polymeric structure contacts an object and measures the force that the object exerts upon the polymeric structure.

A scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscope at cryogenic temperatures (cryo-SNOM) configured with Akiyama probes for studying low energy excitations in quantum materials present in high magnetic fields. The s-SNOM is provided with atomic force microscopy (AFM) control, which predominantly utilizes a laser-based detection scheme for determining the cantilever tapping motion of metal-coated Akiyama probes, where the cantilever tapping motion is detected through a piezoelectric signal. The Akiyama-based cryo-SNOM attains high spatial resolution, good near-field contrast, and is able to perform imaging with a significantly more compact system capable of handling simultaneous demands of vibration isolation, low base temperature, precise nano-positioning, and optical access. Results establish the potential of s-SNOM based on self-sensing piezo-probes, which can easily accommodate near-IR and far-infrared wavelengths and high magnetic fields. Using a tuning fork-based Akiyama probe provides nano-imaging capability at room and low temperatures and is used for near-field photocurrent mapping.

A scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscope at cryogenic temperatures (cryo-SNOM) configured with Akiyama probes for studying low energy excitations in quantum materials present in high magnetic fields. The s-SNOM is provided with atomic force microscopy (AFM) control, which predominantly utilizes a laser-based detection scheme for determining the cantilever tapping motion of metal-coated Akiyama probes, where the cantilever tapping motion is detected through a piezoelectric signal. The Akiyama-based cryo-SNOM attains high spatial resolution, good near-field contrast, and is able to perform imaging with a significantly more compact system capable of handling simultaneous demands of vibration isolation, low base temperature, precise nano-positioning, and optical access. Results establish the potential of s-SNOM based on self-sensing piezo-probes, which can easily accommodate near-IR and far-infrared wavelengths and high magnetic fields. Using a tuning fork-based Akiyama probe provides nano-imaging capability at room and low temperatures and is used for near-field photocurrent mapping.