Methods for calibration of non-contact velocity measurements and systems for implementing the same are described. Generally, the method comprises inducing a shock wave into a sample at a stress intensity that varies across the sample's elastic limit, which corresponds to the elastic-plastic state transition of the sample. That transition state may be at the sample's Hugoniot elastic limit. The velocity of the sample is measured using a non-contact velocity measurement instrument such as a velocimeter. The measurement may be compared to a predicted velocity or a velocity measurement made by another system to determine calibration parameters.

A calibration apparatus for a tip-enhanced Raman microscope includes a substrate; a two-dimensional Raman scatterer that is mounted on an upper surface of the substrate; and a well-defined topographic structure that is formed at the upper surface of the substrate. The topographic structure may include convex geometric shapes such as triangles and squares arranged in one or more periodic lattices. Calibration is via adjusting a focal length of a laser beam until a signal from a spectrometer repeatedly exhibits a stepped response when a focal point of the laser beam traverses an edge of a two-dimensional Raman scatterer, then adjusting the relative lateral positions of a scanning probe microscope probe tip and the focal point until the signal from the spectrometer and a signal from the scanning probe microscope repeatedly change within an acceptable time delay while the focal point and the probe tip traverse edges of the topographic structure.

A method and system for calibrating force (F12) in a dynamic mode atomic force microscope (AFM). An AFM tip (11) is disposed on a first cantilever (12). The first cantilever (12) is actuated to oscillate the AFM tip (11) in a dynamic mode. A first sensor (16) is configured to measure a first parameter (A1) of the oscillating AFM tip (11). A second sensor (26) is configured to measure a second parameter (A2) of a resilient element (22). The oscillating AFM tip (11) is moved in proximity to the resilient element (22) while measuring the first parameter (A1) of the AFM tip (11) and the second parameter (A2) of the resilient element (22). A force (F12) between the oscillating AFM tip (11) and the resilient element (22) is calculated based on the measured second parameter (A2) and a calibrated force constant (K2) of the resilient element (22).

A method and system for calibrating force (F12) in a dynamic mode atomic force microscope (AFM). An AFM tip (11) is disposed on a first cantilever (12). The first cantilever (12) is actuated to oscillate the AFM tip (11) in a dynamic mode. A first sensor (16) is configured to measure a first parameter (A1) of the oscillating AFM tip (11). A second sensor (26) is configured to measure a second parameter (A2) of a resilient element (22). The oscillating AFM tip (11) is moved in proximity to the resilient element (22) while measuring the first parameter (A1) of the AFM tip (11) and the second parameter (A2) of the resilient element (22). A force (F12) between the oscillating AFM tip (11) and the resilient element (22) is calculated based on the measured second parameter (A2) and a calibrated force constant (K2) of the resilient element (22).

The present application relates to an apparatus for a scanning probe microscope, said apparatus having: (a) at least one first measuring probe having at least one first cantilever, the free end of which has a first measuring tip; (b) at least one first reflective area arranged in the region of the free end of the at least one first cantilever and embodied to reflect at least two light beams in different directions; and (c) at least two first interferometers embodied to use the at least two light beams reflected by the at least one first reflective area to determine the position of the first measuring tip.

The present application relates to an apparatus for a scanning probe microscope, said apparatus having: (a) at least one first measuring probe having at least one first cantilever, the free end of which has a first measuring tip; (b) at least one first reflective area arranged in the region of the free end of the at least one first cantilever and embodied to reflect at least two light beams in different directions; and (c) at least two first interferometers embodied to use the at least two light beams reflected by the at least one first reflective area to determine the position of the first measuring tip.

A calibration apparatus for a tip-enhanced Raman microscope includes a substrate; a two-dimensional Raman scatterer that is mounted on an upper surface of the substrate; and a well-defined topographic structure that is formed at the upper surface of the substrate. The topographic structure may include convex geometric shapes such as triangles and squares arranged in one or more periodic lattices. Calibration is via adjusting a focal length of a laser beam until a signal from a spectrometer repeatedly exhibits a stepped response when a focal point of the laser beam traverses an edge of a two-dimensional Raman scatterer, then adjusting the relative lateral positions of a scanning probe microscope probe tip and the focal point until the signal from the spectrometer and a signal from the scanning probe microscope repeatedly change within an acceptable time delay while the focal point and the probe tip traverse edges of the topographic structure.

A method of assessing a probe by measuring a known sample whose shape is known with the probe in an electronic microscope, the known sample having a projection part on a surface thereof, and the projection part having a shape tapered toward a vertex thereof, the method comprising a step of measuring circle equivalent radius of the projection part, a step of comparing the circle equivalent radius with a first threshold value, and a step of determining that the probe is satisfactory when the width is less than the first threshold value, and a step of determining that the probe is unsatisfactory when the width is equal to or greater than the first threshold value.

A method of assessing a probe by measuring a known sample whose shape is known with the probe in an electronic microscope, the known sample having a projection part on a surface thereof, and the projection part having a shape tapered toward a vertex thereof, the method comprising a step of measuring circle equivalent radius of the projection part, a step of comparing the circle equivalent radius with a first threshold value, and a step of determining that the probe is satisfactory when the width is less than the first threshold value, and a step of determining that the probe is unsatisfactory when the width is equal to or greater than the first threshold value.

The present disclosure relates to a method of operating an SPM system including a landing procedure. The landing procedure comprises a first landing stage including a first translation over a first actuation distance by a coarse translation means to bring a probe tip held by an SPM head from an initial separation from a substrate to be probed to a second, more proximal, separation as defined by a characteristic transitional response of the probe tip in proximity to the substrate. Following the first stage a second translation is applied, over a second actuation distance by a fine translation means under feedback control to bring the probe tip to a working separation. Prior to applying the first (coarse) actuation distance an initial optical distance is determined which is indicative of the initial separation, using a detector, preferably a mark sensor. The measured initial optical distance is related to a reference distance so as to determine a deviation. The first actuation distance corresponds the reference distance and the deviation. The disclosure also relates to an SPM system and software product arranged to implement the landing method.