Aspects of the invention include determining, by a first AFM tip, a first snap-off force of a solid surface immersed in a first fluid, determining, by a second AFM tip, a second snap-off force, determining, by a third AFM tip, a third snap-off force, determining, by the first AFM tip, a fourth snap-off force of a droplet of the first fluid immersed in the second fluid on the solid surface, determining, by the second AFM tip, a fifth snap-off force, determining, by the third AFM tip, a sixth snap-off force, determining a first capillary force for first AFM tip and first droplet based on first snap-off force and fourth snap-off force, determining a second capillary force for second AFM tip and first droplet and a third capillary force for third AFM tip and first droplet, and determining interfacial tension between first fluid and second fluid based on the capillary forces.

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.

In an approach for providing simulation results of an interaction between a transducer head and a magnetic medium, a computer identifies a first raster scan of a sample via a scanning probe microscope. The computer generates a topography image based on the first raster scan of the sample. The computer identifies one or more reference features within the created topography image. The computer calculates an average height based on the one or more reference features. The computer determines a lift distance associated with a probe of the scanning probe microscope. The computer defines a uniform plane based on the calculated average height and the determined lift distance. The computer performs a second raster scan of the sample based on the defined uniform plane. The computer generates a fly-height image based on the second raster scan. The computer provides simulation results based at least in part on the second raster scan.

In an approach for providing simulation results of an interaction between a transducer head and a magnetic medium, a computer identifies a first raster scan of a sample via a scanning probe microscope. The computer generates a topography image based on the first raster scan of the sample. The computer identifies one or more reference features within the created topography image. The computer calculates an average height based on the one or more reference features. The computer determines a lift distance associated with a probe of the scanning probe microscope. The computer defines a uniform plane based on the calculated average height and the determined lift distance. The computer performs a second raster scan of the sample based on the defined uniform plane. The computer generates a fly-height image based on the second raster scan. The computer provides simulation results based at least in part on the second raster scan.

An apparatus and method of operating an atomic force profiler (AFP), such as an AFM, using a feedforward control signal in subsequent scan lines of a large area sample to achieve large throughput advantages in, for example, automated applications.

Techniques for operating an atomic force microscope, the atomic force microscope comprising a cantilever and configured to image a surface of a sample using a probe tip coupled to the cantilever, the techniques comprising using a controller to perform: obtaining, based on at least one intrinsic parameter of the cantilever, a first quality factor and a first free oscillation amplitude, wherein the cantilever exhibits only one stable oscillation state when oscillating at the first free oscillation amplitude and operating at the first quality factor; and controlling the cantilever to exhibit the only one stable oscillation state by controlling the cantilever to oscillate at a fixed frequency at or near a resonance frequency of the cantilever, oscillate at the first free oscillation amplitude, and operate at the first quality factor.

Techniques for operating an atomic force microscope, the atomic force microscope comprising a cantilever and configured to image a surface of a sample using a probe tip coupled to the cantilever, the techniques comprising using a controller to perform: obtaining, based on at least one intrinsic parameter of the cantilever, a first quality factor and a first free oscillation amplitude, wherein the cantilever exhibits only one stable oscillation state when oscillating at the first free oscillation amplitude and operating at the first quality factor; and controlling the cantilever to exhibit the only one stable oscillation state by controlling the cantilever to oscillate at a fixed frequency at or near a resonance frequency of the cantilever, oscillate at the first free oscillation amplitude, and operate at the first quality factor.

A method of optimizing a manufacturing process or a blade array of a razor cartridge using spatial information for a tip portion of a razor blade comprises the steps of: measuring, using an atomic force microscope including a probe having a high aspect ratio of a length to a half side angle and a probe tip with a radius less than a radius of an ultimate tip of the tip portion of the razor blade, the spatial information by traversing the probe across the tip portion of the razor blade; analyzing, by one or more processors, the spatial information as measured by the atomic force microscope, to determine one or more blade characteristics; and using the blade characteristics to adjust the manufacturing process to improve a design of the razor blade or to adjust a design characteristic of the blade array to improve a design of the razor cartridge.

Embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to methods for measuring a characteristic of a substrate. In an embodiment, the method includes scanning over the substrate with a scanning probe microscope, the substrate having fins thereon, the scanning obtaining images showing respective fin top regions of the fins, the scanning probe microscope interacting with respective portions of sidewalls of the fins by a scanning probe oscillated during the scanning, selecting images obtained at a predetermined depth below the fin top regions to obtain a line edge profile of the fins, by a processor-based system, analyzing the line edge profile of the fins using power spectral density (PSD) method to obtain spatial frequency data of the line edge profile of the fins, and by the processor-based system, calculating line edge roughness of the fins based on the spatial frequency data.

The present invention relates to a method for referencing a near-field measurement, e.g. in a scanning probe microscope.