A scanning probe microscope and method for resonance-enhanced detection using the scanning probe microscope uses a light source that is modulated in a range of frequencies to irradiate an interface between a probe tip of the microscope and a sample with modulated electromagnetic radiation from the light source. The vibrational response of the driven cantilever in response to the modulated electromagnetic radiation at the interface between the probe tip and the sample is then detected. The amplitude of the vibrational response of the cantilever over the entire range of modulation frequencies is measured to derive a photo-induced force microscope (PiFM) value.

A new semiconductor-laser-integrated Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) optical probe integrates a semiconductor laser and a silicon cantilever AFM probe into a robust easy-to-use chip to enable AFM measurements, optical imaging, and spectroscopy at the nanoscale.

A new semiconductor-laser-integrated Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) optical probe integrates a semiconductor laser and a silicon cantilever AFM probe into a robust easy-to-use chip to enable AFM measurements, optical imaging, and spectroscopy at the nanoscale.

The present document relates to a heterodyne scanning probe microscopy (SPM) method for subsurface imaging, and includes: applying an acoustic input signal to a sample and sensing an acoustic output signal using a probe. The acoustic input signal comprises a plurality of signal components at unique frequencies, including a carrier frequency and at least two excitation frequencies. The carrier frequency and the excitation frequencies form a group of frequencies, which are distributed with an equal difference frequency between each two subsequent frequencies of the group. The difference frequency is below a sensitivity threshold frequency of the cantilever for enabling sensing of the acoustic output signal. The document also describes an SPM system.

The present document relates to a heterodyne scanning probe microscopy (SPM) method for subsurface imaging, and includes: applying an acoustic input signal to a sample and sensing an acoustic output signal using a probe. The acoustic input signal comprises a plurality of signal components at unique frequencies, including a carrier frequency and at least two excitation frequencies. The carrier frequency and the excitation frequencies form a group of frequencies, which are distributed with an equal difference frequency between each two subsequent frequencies of the group. The difference frequency is below a sensitivity threshold frequency of the cantilever for enabling sensing of the acoustic output signal. The document also describes an SPM system.

In order to increase the order of a frequency of an AC signal to be applied between a vibration section and a sample to an order at substantially the same level as the order of a vibration frequency of the vibration section in measuring a vibration component of the vibration control section, a vibration component measuring device (2) includes: a vibration section (4); a first AC signal generator (20) configured to generate a first AC signal; a second AC signal generator (44) configured to generate a second AC signal having a frequency which is (a) more than one time and less than two times or (b) more than two times and less than three times as high as a frequency of the first AC signal; a signal applying section (14, 56) configured to apply the second AC signal between the vibration section and a sample (X); a vibration control section (10) configured to cause the vibration section to vibrate; and a measuring section (16, 18, 20, 22, 42, 44, 50) configured to measure a varying component of vibration of the vibration section, the varying component being varied by an interaction between the vibration section and the sample.

In order to increase the order of a frequency of an AC signal to be applied between a vibration section and a sample to an order at substantially the same level as the order of a vibration frequency of the vibration section in measuring a vibration component of the vibration control section, a vibration component measuring device (2) includes: a vibration section (4); a first AC signal generator (20) configured to generate a first AC signal; a second AC signal generator (44) configured to generate a second AC signal having a frequency which is (a) more than one time and less than two times or (b) more than two times and less than three times as high as a frequency of the first AC signal; a signal applying section (14, 56) configured to apply the second AC signal between the vibration section and a sample (X); a vibration control section (10) configured to cause the vibration section to vibrate; and a measuring section (16, 18, 20, 22, 42, 44, 50) configured to measure a varying component of vibration of the vibration section, the varying component being varied by an interaction between the vibration section and the sample.

A method of evaluating a thickness of a film on a substrate includes detecting atomic force responses of the film to exposure of electromagnetic radiation in the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. The use of atomic force microscopy to evaluate thicknesses of thin films avoids underlayer noise commonly encountered when optical metrology techniques are utilized to evaluate film thicknesses. Such underlayer noise adversely impacts the accuracy of the thickness evaluation.

The present document relates to a method to determine dimensions of features of a subsurface topography of a sample, the features having a spatial periodicity. The subsurface topography is obtained using scanning probe microscopy. The method includes obtaining measurement values of an acoustic output signal in at least N locations and generating a location dependent subsurface topography signal. The method further comprises providing an autocorrelation matrix by performing a cross-correlation of the subsurface topography signal in respect of each further location to yield the autocorrelation matrix having size N*N. Thereafter, the method includes performing an Eigenvalue decomposition for obtaining Eigenvalues of the matrix, and selecting a subset of Eigenvalues having the largest values. From these a frequency estimation function is constructed and at least one output value indicative of the spatial periodicity is obtained therefrom. The document also describes a scanning probe microscopy system and a computer program product.

The present document relates to a method to determine dimensions of features of a subsurface topography of a sample, the features having a spatial periodicity. The subsurface topography is obtained using scanning probe microscopy. The method includes obtaining measurement values of an acoustic output signal in at least N locations and generating a location dependent subsurface topography signal. The method further comprises providing an autocorrelation matrix by performing a cross-correlation of the subsurface topography signal in respect of each further location to yield the autocorrelation matrix having size N*N. Thereafter, the method includes performing an Eigenvalue decomposition for obtaining Eigenvalues of the matrix, and selecting a subset of Eigenvalues having the largest values. From these a frequency estimation function is constructed and at least one output value indicative of the spatial periodicity is obtained therefrom. The document also describes a scanning probe microscopy system and a computer program product.