A method of forming a micropattern, a substrate surface inspection apparatus, a cantilever set for an atomic force microscope, and a method of analyzing a surface of a semiconductor substrate, and a probe tip the method including forming pinning patterns on a semiconductor substrate; forming a neutral pattern layer in spaces between the pinning patterns; and inspecting a surface of a guide layer that includes the pinning patterns and the neutral pattern layer by using an atomic force microscope (AFM).

A debris collection and metrology system for collecting and analyzing debris from a tip used in nanomachining processes, the system including an irradiation source, an irradiation detector, an actuator, and a controller. The irradiation source is operable to direct incident irradiation onto the tip, and the irradiation detector is operable to receive a sample irradiation from the tip, the sample irradiation being generated as a result of the direct incident irradiation being applied onto the tip. The controller is operatively coupled to an actuator system and the irradiation detector, and the controller is operable to receive a first signal based on a first response of the irradiation detector to the sample irradiation, and the controller is operable to effect relative motion between the tip and at least one of the irradiation source and the irradiation detector based on the first signal.

A needle-shaped body protrudes from a cantilever made of Si. Furthermore, the rear face of the cantilever is coated with aluminum having a Fermi level higher than that of Si. The cantilever is dipped into an aqueous silver nitride solution containing the ions of Ag serving as a second metal. The electrons of Si flow out to the aqueous silver nitride solution due to the existence of the aluminum, and Ag nanostructures are precipitated at the tip end of the needle-shaped body. A probe for tip-enhanced Raman scattering in which the Ag nanostructures are fixed to the tip end of the needle-shaped body is manufactured. The sizes and shapes of the Ag nanostructures can be controlled properly by adjusting the concentration of the aqueous silver nitride solution and the time during which the cantilever is dipped into the aqueous silver nitride solution.

A needle-shaped body protrudes from a cantilever made of Si. Furthermore, the rear face of the cantilever is coated with aluminum having a Fermi level higher than that of Si. The cantilever is dipped into an aqueous silver nitride solution containing the ions of Ag serving as a second metal. The electrons of Si flow out to the aqueous silver nitride solution due to the existence of the aluminum, and Ag nanostructures are precipitated at the tip end of the needle-shaped body. A probe for tip-enhanced Raman scattering in which the Ag nanostructures are fixed to the tip end of the needle-shaped body is manufactured. The sizes and shapes of the Ag nanostructures can be controlled properly by adjusting the concentration of the aqueous silver nitride solution and the time during which the cantilever is dipped into the aqueous silver nitride solution.

A method for scanning near-field optical microscopy comprises illuminating an apertureless atomic force microscopy (AFM) probe with electromagnetic energy having a frequency in the Terahertz range, where the sample under observation includes a dielectric layer having a thickness greater than the radius of the tip of the AFM probe. A system for scanning near-field optical microscopy comprises a collimated light source for emitting collimated light, a photoconductive antenna for converting collimated light into electromagnetic energy having a frequency in the Terahertz range, an AFM probe, a sample comprising a dielectric layer, the dielectric layer having a thickness greater than the radius of the probe tip; and a detector configured to detect energy that has interacted with the sample.

A method for scanning near-field optical microscopy comprises illuminating an apertureless atomic force microscopy (AFM) probe with electromagnetic energy having a frequency in the Terahertz range, where the sample under observation includes a dielectric layer having a thickness greater than the radius of the tip of the AFM probe. A system for scanning near-field optical microscopy comprises a collimated light source for emitting collimated light, a photoconductive antenna for converting collimated light into electromagnetic energy having a frequency in the Terahertz range, an AFM probe, a sample comprising a dielectric layer, the dielectric layer having a thickness greater than the radius of the probe tip; and a detector configured to detect energy that has interacted with the sample.

A debris collection and metrology system for collecting and analyzing debris from a tip used in nanomachining processes, the system including an irradiation source, an irradiation detector, an actuator, and a controller. The irradiation source is operable to direct incident irradiation onto the tip, and the irradiation detector is operable to receive a sample irradiation from the tip, the sample irradiation being generated as a result of the direct incident irradiation being applied onto the tip. The controller is operatively coupled to an actuator system and the irradiation detector, and the controller is operable to receive a first signal based on a first response of the irradiation detector to the sample irradiation, and the controller is operable to effect relative motion between the tip and at least one of the irradiation source and the irradiation detector based on the first signal.

An atomic force microscope is provided having a controller configured to store one or more positional parameters output by a sensor assembly when a light spot is located at a first preset position on the surface of the cantilever. The controller is further configured to operate an actuator assembly so as to induce movement of the spot away from the first preset position, to detect said movement of the first spot based on a change in the one or more positional parameters output by the sensor assembly, and to operate an optical assembly in response to the detected movement of the first spot to return the first spot to the first preset position.

An atomic force microscope is provided having a controller configured to store one or more positional parameters output by a sensor assembly when a light spot is located at a first preset position on the surface of the cantilever. The controller is further configured to operate an actuator assembly so as to induce movement of the spot away from the first preset position, to detect said movement of the first spot based on a change in the one or more positional parameters output by the sensor assembly, and to operate an optical assembly in response to the detected movement of the first spot to return the first spot to the first preset position.

The invention provides a liquid cell for an atomic force microscope. The liquid cell includes a liquid cell housing with an internal cavity to contain a fluid, a plurality of conductive feedthroughs traversing the liquid cell housing between the internal cavity and a dry side of the liquid cell, a cantilevered probe coupled to the liquid cell housing, and a piezoelectric drive element disposed on the cantilevered probe. The cantilevered probe is actuated when a drive voltage is applied to the piezoelectric drive element through at least one of the conductive feedthroughs. A method of imaging an object in a liquid medium and a method of sensing a target species with the liquid cell are also disclosed.