Methods of fabricating single photon emitters (SPEs) including nanoindentation of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) host materials and annealing thereof, devices formed from such methods, and chips with a single photon emitter. A substrate with a layer of hBN is provided. Nanoindentation is performed on the layer of hBN to produce an array of sub-micron indentations in the layer of hBN. The layer of hBN is annealed to activate SPEs near the indentations. Devices include a substrate with an SPE produced in accordance with the methods. Chips include a substrate, an hBN layer, and an SPE including an indentation on the hBN layer, in which the substrate is not damaged at the indentation.

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 invention relates to a method for staging metastatic potential of a primary tumour sample or related lymph node by nanomechanical measurement and/or for determing the reoccurrence or incidence potential.

The present invention relates to a method for measuring the dielectric properties of a sample with a scanning probe microscope. In particular, the invention relates to highly-localized optical imaging and spectroscopy on a sample surface using an atomic force microscope (AFM) probe mechanically driven at two oscillation frequencies, referred to herein as “active bimodal operation”, and a modulated source of electromagnetic radiation.

A MEMS-nanoindenter chip performs nanoindentation on a specimen. The MEMS-nanoindenter chip has an intender probe joined with an indenter tip. The indenter tip indents into the specimen. A reference probe is joined with a reference tip, the reference tip touches the specimen. Sensing capabilities are provided to measure the position of the indenter probe relative to the reference probe. The MEMS-nanoindenter chip enables highly accurate measurements since the frame stiffness is not part of the measurement chain any more. Furthermore, thermal drift during the nanoindentation is considerably reduced.

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.1 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 large radius probe for a surface analysis instrument such as an atomic force microscope (AFM). The probe is microfabricated to have a tip with a hemispherical distal end or apex. The radius of the apex is the range of about a micron making the probes particularly useful for nanoindentation analyses, but other applications are contemplated. In particular, tips with aspect ratios greater than 2:1 can be made for imaging, for example, semiconductor samples. The processes of the preferred embodiments allow such large radius probes to be batch fabricated to facilitate cost and robustness.

A MEMS microforce sensor for high temperature nanoindentation is used for determining a mechanical property of a sample by sensing a deflection and measuring a force. The MEMS microforce sensor includes at least a cold movable body, a heatable movable body, a heating resistor and capacitor electrodes. The cold movable body and the heatable movable body are mechanically connected by at least one bridge and the capacitor electrodes measure a force applied on the sample by sensing the deflection of the cold movable body relative to the outer frame by a change of electrical capacitance.

A large radius probe for a surface analysis instrument such as an atomic force microscope (AFM). The probe is microfabricated to have a tip with a hemispherical distal end or apex. The radius of the apex is the range of about a micron making the probes particularly useful for nanoindentation analyses. The processes of the preferred embodiments allow such large radius probes to be batch fabricated to facilitate cost and robustness.

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.