An atomic force microscope (AFM) and method of operating the same includes a separate Z height sensor to measure, simultaneously with AFM system control, probe sample distance, pixel-by-pixel during AFM data acquisition. By mapping the AFM data to low resolution data of the Z height data, a high resolution final data image corrected for creep is generated in real time.

An atomic force microscope includes a cantilever operating in amplitude modulation mode. A controller determines the amplitude of the cantilever oscillation by processing a signal representative of the cantilever motion by square-rooting a signal having a value substantially equal to a sum of a square of the received signal and a squared and phase-shifted version of the received signal. The aforementioned processing, in some implementations is implemented using analog circuit components.

An atomic force microscope includes a cantilever operating in amplitude modulation mode. A controller determines the amplitude of the cantilever oscillation by processing a signal representative of the cantilever motion by square-rooting a signal having a value substantially equal to a sum of a square of the received signal and a squared and phase-shifted version of the received signal. The aforementioned processing, in some implementations is implemented using analog circuit components.

A method of operating a scanning probe microscope, wherein a control loop is provided which is configured for controlling one or more feedback parameters of the scanning probe microscope. One or more system identification measurements are performed during operation of the control loop, wherein during the one or more system identification measurements an excitation signal with a plurality of frequency components is introduced in the control loop and a resulting response signal indicative of a cantilever displacement or a stage-sample distance between a sensor device and a sample is measured. A model response function is identified using said excitation signal and said resulting response signal, wherein one or more settings and/or input signals are adapted in the control loop based on the identified model response function. The scanning probe microscope is used for characterization of the sample using the adapted one or more settings and/or input signals.

A method of operating a scanning probe microscope, wherein a control loop is provided which is configured for controlling one or more feedback parameters of the scanning probe microscope. One or more system identification measurements are performed during operation of the control loop, wherein during the one or more system identification measurements an excitation signal with a plurality of frequency components is introduced in the control loop and a resulting response signal indicative of a cantilever displacement or a stage-sample distance between a sensor device and a sample is measured. A model response function is identified using said excitation signal and said resulting response signal, wherein one or more settings and/or input signals are adapted in the control loop based on the identified model response function. The scanning probe microscope is used for characterization of the sample using the adapted one or more settings and/or input signals.

Apparatus and methods for measuring surface topography are described. The analysis apparatus and methods detect light reflected from the reflective backside of a cantilever assembly including a tip, calculate a background level (BGL) value obtained from an optical scan of a reference sample using a power spectral density (PSD) value obtained from a topographical scan of a reference sample to generate a correlational coefficient between the BGL and the PSD values. The correlational coefficient between the BGL and PSD values is used to measure the BGL value of additional EUV mask blanks by a topographical scan of the EUV mask blanks using the same tip mounted to the cantilever.

Apparatus and methods for measuring surface topography are described. The analysis apparatus and methods detect light reflected from the reflective backside of a cantilever assembly including a tip, calculate a background level (BGL) value obtained from an optical scan of a reference sample using a power spectral density (PSD) value obtained from a topographical scan of a reference sample to generate a correlational coefficient between the BGL and the PSD values. The correlational coefficient between the BGL and PSD values is used to measure the BGL value of additional EUV mask blanks by a topographical scan of the EUV mask blanks using the same tip mounted to the cantilever.

A system for measuring the absorption of a laser radiation by a sample is provided. The system comprises: •(i) a pulsed laser source, suitable for emitting pulses at a repetition frequency f.sub.l and arranged so as to illuminate the sample; •(ii) an AFM probe arranged so as to be able to be placed in contact with the region of the surface of the sample on one side, the AFM probe having a mechanical resonance mode at a frequency f.sub.m; and •(iii) a detector configured to measure the amplitude of the oscillations of the AFM probe resulting from the absorption of the laser radiation by the region of the surface of the sample, characterized in that it also comprises a translation system designed to displace the sample at a frequency f.sub.p.

A system for measuring the absorption of a laser radiation by a sample is provided. The system comprises: •(i) a pulsed laser source, suitable for emitting pulses at a repetition frequency f.sub.l and arranged so as to illuminate the sample; •(ii) an AFM probe arranged so as to be able to be placed in contact with the region of the surface of the sample on one side, the AFM probe having a mechanical resonance mode at a frequency f.sub.m; and •(iii) a detector configured to measure the amplitude of the oscillations of the AFM probe resulting from the absorption of the laser radiation by the region of the surface of the sample, characterized in that it also comprises a translation system designed to displace the sample at a frequency f.sub.p.

A method of operating a scanning probe microscope, wherein a control loop is provided which is configured for controlling one or more feedback parameters of the scanning probe microscope. One or more system identification measurements are performed during operation of the control loop, wherein during the one or more system identification measurements an excitation signal with a plurality of frequency components is introduced in the control loop and a resulting response signal indicative of a cantilever displacement or a stage-sample distance between a sensor device and a sample is measured. A model response function is identified using said excitation signal and said resulting response signal, wherein one or more settings and/or input signals are adapted in the control loop based on the identified model response function. The scanning probe microscope is used for characterization of the sample using the adapted one or more settings and/or input signals.