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 cantilever (30) for an ultrasound acoustic microscopy device is provided comprising a transmission tip (31) to contact a sample (11) to therewith transmit an ultrasound acoustic signal as an ultrasound acoustic wave into the sample. The cantilever further comprises a reception tip (32) separate from the transmission tip (31) to contact the sample to receive an acoustic signal resulting from reflections of the ultrasound wave from within the sample.

Disclosed is an atomic force microscopy system includes a laser source configured to generate an optical probe beam containing light of different spectral light components at different optical wavelengths, a dispersive optical device positioned to receive the optical probe beam and configured to disperse the optical probe beam into different dispersed light beams that are at different optical wavelengths and are spatially separated from one another, a cantilever array including a plurality of cantilevers structured to detect a sample and configured to deflect the different dispersed light beams by moving in position based on an interaction with the sample to produce multiple deflected output beams at different output optical wavelengths from the cantilevers, and a plurality of photodetectors to receive the multiple deflected output beams of different wavelengths from the cantilevers, respectively.

Disclosed is an atomic force microscopy system includes a laser source configured to generate an optical probe beam containing light of different spectral light components at different optical wavelengths, a dispersive optical device positioned to receive the optical probe beam and configured to disperse the optical probe beam into different dispersed light beams that are at different optical wavelengths and are spatially separated from one another, a cantilever array including a plurality of cantilevers structured to detect a sample and configured to deflect the different dispersed light beams by moving in position based on an interaction with the sample to produce multiple deflected output beams at different output optical wavelengths from the cantilevers, and a plurality of photodetectors to receive the multiple deflected output beams of different wavelengths from the cantilevers, respectively.

A light emitting diode (LED) array is formed by bonding an LED substrate to a backplane substrate via magnetized interconnects. The backplane substrate may include circuits for driving the LED array, and each of the magnetized interconnects electrically connect a LED device to a corresponding circuit of the backplane substrate. The magnetized interconnects may be formed by electrically connecting first structures protruding from the backplane substrate to second structures protruding from the LED substrate. At least one of the first structure and the second structure includes ferromagnetic material configured to secure the first structure to the second structure.

An apparatus includes a support structure defining therein substantially parallel cavities extending from a first side of the support structure to a second side of the support structure. The apparatus also includes optical fiber cores each extending from the second side through a corresponding cavity and protruding axially at the first side. The axial protrusion tapers from a first diameter down to a second diameter. The apparatus additionally includes a light emitter optically connected to the optical fiber cores and configured to emit light thereinto. A cut-off size associated with the light is greater than or equal to the second diameter such that an evanescent electromagnetic wave is generated at the cut-off portion. The apparatus further includes light detectors each being optically connected at the second side to a corresponding optical fiber core and configured to measure an intensity of the light reflected from the cut-off portion.

The document relates to a method of performing subsurface imaging of embedded structures underneath a substrate surface, using an atomic force microscopy system. The system comprises a probe with a probe tip, and a sensor for sensing a position of the probe tip. The method comprises the steps of: positioning the probe tip relative to the substrate: applying a first acoustic input signal to the substrate; applying a second acoustic input signal to the substrate; detecting an output signal from the substrate in response to the first and second acoustic input signal; and analyzing the output signal. The first acoustic input signal comprises a first signal component and a second signal component, the first signal component comprising a frequency below 250 megahertz and the second signal component either including a frequency below 2.5 megahertz or a frequency such as to provide a difference frequency of at most 2.5 megahertz with the first signal component, such as to enable analysis of an induced stress field in the substrate; and wherein the second acoustic input signal comprises a third signal component having a frequency above 1 gigahertz, such that the return signal includes a scattered fraction of the second acoustic input signal scattered from the embedded structures. This enables to perform imaging a various depths in one pass, across a large range of depths.

The document relates to a method of performing subsurface imaging of embedded structures underneath a substrate surface, using an atomic force microscopy system. The system comprises a probe with a probe tip, and a sensor for sensing a position of the probe tip. The method comprises the steps of: positioning the probe tip relative to the substrate: applying a first acoustic input signal to the substrate; applying a second acoustic input signal to the substrate; detecting an output signal from the substrate in response to the first and second acoustic input signal; and analyzing the output signal. The first acoustic input signal comprises a first signal component and a second signal component, the first signal component comprising a frequency below 250 megahertz and the second signal component either including a frequency below 2.5 megahertz or a frequency such as to provide a difference frequency of at most 2.5 megahertz with the first signal component, such as to enable analysis of an induced stress field in the substrate; and wherein the second acoustic input signal comprises a third signal component having a frequency above 1 gigahertz, such that the return signal includes a scattered fraction of the second acoustic input signal scattered from the embedded structures. This enables to perform imaging a various depths in one pass, across a large range of depths.

A scanning probe microscope and method of operating the microscope uses a resonant material between a metallic probe tip and a surface of a sample with at least one material having a dielectric constant ε. When electromagnetic radiation from a light source is transmitted to an interface between the metallic probe tip and the sample, absorption of the electromagnetic radiation by the resonant sensor material that is dependent on the dielectric constant of the at least one material of the sample is detected.

A scanning probe microscope and method of operating the microscope uses a resonant material between a metallic probe tip and a surface of a sample with at least one material having a dielectric constant ε. When electromagnetic radiation from a light source is transmitted to an interface between the metallic probe tip and the sample, absorption of the electromagnetic radiation by the resonant sensor material that is dependent on the dielectric constant of the at least one material of the sample is detected.