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.

In order to meet the needs of, in particular, the semi-conductor industry as it requires finer lithography nodes, a method of feedback control for scanning probe microscopy generates a microwave frequency comb of harmonics in a tunneling junction (10) between a probe tip electrode (80) and sample electrode (20) by irradiating the junction with mode-locked pulses of electromagnetic radiation from a laser (90). Utilizing power measurements within one or more harmonics within the microwave frequency comb, the tip-sample distance in the tunneling junction may be regulated by a feedback control (40) utilizing an extremum-seeking algorithm for maximum efficiency and avoid tip crash when used with resistive samples. Ideally, no externally provided DC bias is required to use the method. Utilization of this method contributes to true sub-nanometer resolution of images of carrier distribution in resistive samples such as semi-conductors.

In order to meet the needs of, in particular, the semi-conductor industry as it requires finer lithography nodes, a method of feedback control for scanning probe microscopy generates a microwave frequency comb of harmonics in a tunneling junction (10) between a probe tip electrode (80) and sample electrode (20) by irradiating the junction with mode-locked pulses of electromagnetic radiation from a laser (90). Utilizing power measurements within one or more harmonics within the microwave frequency comb, the tip-sample distance in the tunneling junction may be regulated by a feedback control (40) utilizing an extremum-seeking algorithm for maximum efficiency and avoid tip crash when used with resistive samples. Ideally, no externally provided DC bias is required to use the method. Utilization of this method contributes to true sub-nanometer resolution of images of carrier distribution in resistive samples such as semi-conductors.

A handling apparatus for handling a measuring probe of a scanning probe microscope is disclosed. The measuring probe has a probe body and a probe tip which is coupled with the probe body by a cantilever. The handling apparatus includes a receiving device for receiving the measuring probe at a receiving area, a guide structure, in which the measuring probe is guidable while at the same time the probe body is at least partially limited and the cantilever and the probe tip are supported without contact, and a transport device for transporting the measuring probe from the receiving area along the guide structure to a target area.

A handling apparatus for handling a measuring probe of a scanning probe microscope is disclosed. The measuring probe has a probe body and a probe tip which is coupled with the probe body by a cantilever. The handling apparatus includes a receiving device for receiving the measuring probe at a receiving area, a guide structure, in which the measuring probe is guidable while at the same time the probe body is at least partially limited and the cantilever and the probe tip are supported without contact, and a transport device for transporting the measuring probe from the receiving area along the guide structure to a target area.

A sharpening method for a probe tip of an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) includes the steps of dripping a prepared slurry on a glass slide to form a droplet on the glass slide, where particles of the prepared slurry are diamond powder; infiltrating the tip to be sharpened with the prepared slurry; setting operation mode of the AFM to tapping in the fluid and lowering the probe into droplet till the probe cantilever beam is immersed completely in the droplet; setting vibration parameters, scanning parameters, and sharpening time, performing tip sharpening; and evaluating the sharpening results, and finishing sharpening. When the AFM works in a tapping mode in fluid, the tip of the self-excited oscillating probe is sharpened under the grinding effect of the diamond particles. The method is simple and effective, and easy to implement.

A sharpening method for a probe tip of an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) includes the steps of dripping a prepared slurry on a glass slide to form a droplet on the glass slide, where particles of the prepared slurry are diamond powder; infiltrating the tip to be sharpened with the prepared slurry; setting operation mode of the AFM to tapping in the fluid and lowering the probe into droplet till the probe cantilever beam is immersed completely in the droplet; setting vibration parameters, scanning parameters, and sharpening time, performing tip sharpening; and evaluating the sharpening results, and finishing sharpening. When the AFM works in a tapping mode in fluid, the tip of the self-excited oscillating probe is sharpened under the grinding effect of the diamond particles. The method is simple and effective, and easy to implement.

A sharpening method for a probe tip of an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) includes the steps of dripping a prepared slurry on a glass slide to form a droplet on the glass slide, where particles of the prepared slurry are diamond powder; infiltrating the tip to be sharpened with the prepared slurry; setting operation mode of the AFM to tapping in the fluid and lowering the probe into droplet till the probe cantilever beam is immersed completely in the droplet; setting vibration parameters, scanning parameters, and sharpening time, performing tip sharpening; and evaluating the sharpening results, and finishing sharpening. When the AFM works in a tapping mode in fluid, the tip of the self-excited oscillating probe is sharpened under the grinding effect of the diamond particles. The method is simple and effective, and easy to implement.

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.

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.