A sensor probe assembly includes a probe, and a sensor assembly coupled to the probe. The sensor assembly measures a physical or electrical characteristic of a surface that the probe is near to or in contact with. The sensor assembly is symmetrically disposed around a center axis of the probe.

The present application relates to a scanning probe microscope comprising a probe arrangement for analyzing at least one defect of a photolithographic mask or of a wafer, wherein the scanning probe microscope comprises: (a) at least one first probe embodied to analyze the at least one defect; (b) means for producing at least one mark, by use of which the position of the at least one defect is indicated on the mask or on the wafer; and (c) wherein the mark is embodied in such a way that it may be detected by a scanning particle beam microscope.

Atomic force microscopy system comprising an atomic force microscopy device and a substrate carrier having a carrier surface carrying a substrate. The substrate has a substrate main surface and a substrate scanning surface opposite the substrate main surface. The atomic force microscopy device comprises a scan head including a probe. The probe comprises a cantilever and a probe tip arranged on the cantilever. The atomic force device further comprises an actuator cooperating with at least one of the scan head or the substrate carrier for moving the probe tip and the substrate carrier relative to each other in one or more directions parallel to the carrier surface for scanning of the substrate scanning surface with the probe tip. A signal application actuator applies, during said scanning, an acoustic input signal to the substrate, said acoustic input signal generating a first displacement field in a first displacement direction only. A tip position detector monitors motion of the probe tip relative to the scan head during said scanning for obtaining an output signal. The tip position detector is arranged for monitoring motion of the probe tip only in a direction orthogonal to the displacement direction.

Atomic force microscopy system comprising an atomic force microscopy device and a substrate carrier having a carrier surface carrying a substrate. The substrate has a substrate main surface and a substrate scanning surface opposite the substrate main surface. The atomic force microscopy device comprises a scan head including a probe. The probe comprises a cantilever and a probe tip arranged on the cantilever. The atomic force device further comprises an actuator cooperating with at least one of the scan head or the substrate carrier for moving the probe tip and the substrate carrier relative to each other in one or more directions parallel to the carrier surface for scanning of the substrate scanning surface with the probe tip. A signal application actuator applies, during said scanning, an acoustic input signal to the substrate, said acoustic input signal generating a first displacement field in a first displacement direction only. A tip position detector monitors motion of the probe tip relative to the scan head during said scanning for obtaining an output signal. The tip position detector is arranged for monitoring motion of the probe tip only in a direction orthogonal to the displacement direction.

The disclosure is related to a method for performing SPM measurements, wherein a sample is attached to a cantilever and scanned across a tip. The tip is one of several tips present on a substrate comprising at least two different types of tips on its surface, thereby enabling performance of multiple SPM measurements requiring a different type of tip, without replacing the cantilever. The at least two different types of tips are different in terms of their material, in terms of their shape or size, and/or in terms of the presence or the type of active or passive components mounted on or incorporated in the substrate, and associated to tips of one or more of the different types. The disclosure is equally related to a substrate comprising a plurality of tips suitable for use in the method of the disclosure.

A detector device is presented for use in a surface probing system. The detector device comprises an integral semiconductor structure configured to define a cantilever and tip probe assembly, comprising at least one tip formed on the cantilever, wherein an apex portion of said at least one tip is configured as an apertured photodetector comprising a layered structure formed with an aperture of subwavelength dimensions and defining at least one depletion region and an electrical circuit, said subwavelength aperture allowing collection of evanescent waves created at a surface region and interaction of collected evanescent waves with the at least one depletion region thereby causing direct conversion of the collected evanescent waves into electric signals being read by the electrical circuit within said tip apex portion, said integral semiconductor structure being thereby capable of concurrently monitoring topographic and optical properties of the surface being scanned by the tip.

A detector device is presented for use in a surface probing system. The detector device comprises an integral semiconductor structure configured to define a cantilever and tip probe assembly, comprising at least one tip formed on the cantilever, wherein an apex portion of said at least one tip is configured as an apertured photodetector comprising a layered structure formed with an aperture of subwavelength dimensions and defining at least one depletion region and an electrical circuit, said subwavelength aperture allowing collection of evanescent waves created at a surface region and interaction of collected evanescent waves with the at least one depletion region thereby causing direct conversion of the collected evanescent waves into electric signals being read by the electrical circuit within said tip apex portion, said integral semiconductor structure being thereby capable of concurrently monitoring topographic and optical properties of the surface being scanned by the tip.

The present invention relates to a micro-optomechanical system (500) and to a method for the production thereof. The micro-optomechanical system (500) comprises at least one optical subsystem (100) configured for emitting at least one optical actuator signal (212) and for receiving at least one optical sensor signal (211); and at least one optomechanical structure (150) which is producible in direct contact with the optical subsystem (100) by means of a direct writing microstructuring method, wherein the optical subsystem (100) comprises at least one optical actuation element (219) and at least one optical sensor element (140), wherein the optical actuator signal (212) in interaction with the optical actuation element (219) is configured for changing a mechanical state of the optomechanical structure (150), and wherein the optical sensor signal (211) in interaction with the optical sensor element (140) is configured for detecting the change in the mechanical state of the optomechanical structure (150) or a variable related thereto.

The micro-optomechanical systems (500) provided have virtually any desired shaping in conjunction with very high resolution and are therefore suitable for a wide range of applications.

The present application relates to a scanning probe microscope comprising a probe arrangement for analyzing at least one defect of a photolithographic mask or of a wafer, wherein the scanning probe microscope comprises: (a) at least one first probe embodied to analyze the at least one defect; (b) means for producing at least one mark, by use of which the position of the at least one defect is indicated on the mask or on the wafer; and (c) wherein the mark is embodied in such a way that it may be detected by a scanning particle beam microscope.

Provided is a composite metal-wide-bandgap semiconductor tip for scanning tunneling microscopy and/or scanning, tunneling lithography, a method of forming, and a method for using the composite metal-wide-bandgap semiconductor tip.