An atomic force microscope is provided having a controller configured to store one or more positional parameters output by a sensor assembly when a light spot is located at a first preset position on the surface of the cantilever. The controller is further configured to operate an actuator assembly so as to induce movement of the spot away from the first preset position, to detect said movement of the first spot based on a change in the one or more positional parameters output by the sensor assembly, and to operate an optical assembly in response to the detected movement of the first spot to return the first spot to the first preset position.

An atomic force microscope is provided having a controller configured to store one or more positional parameters output by a sensor assembly when a light spot is located at a first preset position on the surface of the cantilever. The controller is further configured to operate an actuator assembly so as to induce movement of the spot away from the first preset position, to detect said movement of the first spot based on a change in the one or more positional parameters output by the sensor assembly, and to operate an optical assembly in response to the detected movement of the first spot to return the first spot to the first preset position.

Apparatus and method for nano-identification a sample by measuring, with the use of evanescent waves, optical spectra of near-field interaction between the sample and optical nanoantenna oscillating at nano-distance above the sample and discriminating background backscattered radiation not sensitive to such near-field interaction. Discrimination may be effectuated by optical data acquisition at periodically repeated moments of nanoantenna oscillation without knowledge of distance separating nanoantenna and sample. Measurement includes chemical identification of sample on nano-scale, during which absolute value of phase corresponding to near-field radiation representing said interaction is measured directly, without offset. Calibration of apparatus and measurement is provided by performing, prior to sample measurement, a reference measurement of reference sample having known index of refraction. Nano-identification is realized with sub-50 nm resolution and, optionally, in the mid-infrared portion of the spectrum.

Apparatus and method for nano-identification a sample by measuring, with the use of evanescent waves, optical spectra of near-field interaction between the sample and optical nanoantenna oscillating at nano-distance above the sample and discriminating background backscattered radiation not sensitive to such near-field interaction. Discrimination may be effectuated by optical data acquisition at periodically repeated moments of nanoantenna oscillation without knowledge of distance separating nanoantenna and sample. Measurement includes chemical identification of sample on nano-scale, during which absolute value of phase corresponding to near-field radiation representing said interaction is measured directly, without offset. Calibration of apparatus and measurement is provided by performing, prior to sample measurement, a reference measurement of reference sample having known index of refraction. Nano-identification is realized with sub-50 nm resolution and, optionally, in the mid-infrared portion of the spectrum.

A scanning tunneling microscope including a z-axis scanning assembly; a quantum tunneling tip operatively connected to the z-axis scanning assembly; a z-axis controller configured to communicate with the z-axis scanning assembly; an x-y scanning assembly including a sample platform for holding a sample to be observed and arranged proximate the quantum tunneling tip separated in a z-axis direction from the platform; an x-y controller configured to communicate with the x-y scanning assembly; a measurement circuit connected to the quantum tunneling tip and the sample platform such that a relative electrical voltage is provided between said quantum tunneling tip and the sample platform and so as to measure an electrical current; and a data processor configured to communicate with the z-axis controller and the x-y controller to receive surface imaging information or point spectral information therefrom.

A scanning tunneling microscope including a z-axis scanning assembly; a quantum tunneling tip operatively connected to the z-axis scanning assembly; a z-axis controller configured to communicate with the z-axis scanning assembly; an x-y scanning assembly including a sample platform for holding a sample to be observed and arranged proximate the quantum tunneling tip separated in a z-axis direction from the platform; an x-y controller configured to communicate with the x-y scanning assembly; a measurement circuit connected to the quantum tunneling tip and the sample platform such that a relative electrical voltage is provided between said quantum tunneling tip and the sample platform and so as to measure an electrical current; and a data processor configured to communicate with the z-axis controller and the x-y controller to receive surface imaging information or point spectral information therefrom.

The present document relates to a method of monitoring an overlay or alignment between a first and second layer of a semiconductor using a scanning probe microscopy system. The method comprises scanning the substrate surface using a probe tip for obtaining a measurement of a topography of the first and second layer in at least one scanning direction. At least one pattern template is generated which is matched with the topography of the first layer for determining a first candidate pattern. The first candidate pattern is matched with the measured second topography for obtaining a second candidate pattern to represent the measured topography of the second layer. Feature characteristics of device features are determined from both the first and second candidate pattern, and these are used to calculate one or more overlay parameters or alignment parameters.

The present document relates to a method of monitoring an overlay or alignment between a first and second layer of a semiconductor using a scanning probe microscopy system. The method comprises scanning the substrate surface using a probe tip for obtaining a measurement of a topography of the first and second layer in at least one scanning direction. At least one pattern template is generated which is matched with the topography of the first layer for determining a first candidate pattern. The first candidate pattern is matched with the measured second topography for obtaining a second candidate pattern to represent the measured topography of the second layer. Feature characteristics of device features are determined from both the first and second candidate pattern, and these are used to calculate one or more overlay parameters or alignment parameters.

A method comprises using an atomic-force microscope, acquiring a set of images associated with surfaces, and, using a machine-learning algorithm applied to the images, classifying the surfaces. As a particular example, the classification can be done in a way that relies on surface parameters derived from the images rather than using the images directly.

The method for detecting mechanical and magnetic features comprises the steps of: aiming a probe of the sensor at a sample; defining several detected points for detection on the sample; detecting one of points and comprising the steps of: approaching the probe to the detected point from a predetermined height; contacting the probe with the detected point and applying a predetermined force on the detected point; making the probe far away from the detected point until to the predetermined height; shifting the probe to the next point for detection and repeating the detection; collecting the data of each of the detected points while the probe rapidly approaches to the points from the predetermined height; using a signal decomposition algorithm to transform the collected data to a plurality of data groups; and choosing a part of the data groups to be as data of feature distributions of the sample.