A test apparatus includes a movable stage to support a sample, tips above the stage that have different shapes and alternately perform profiling and milling on the sample, a tip stage connected to a cantilever coupled to the tips, the tip stage to adjust a position of the cantilever, a position sensor to obtain information about a positional relationship between the tips and the sample, a stage controller to control movements of the stage and the tip stage, based on the information about the positional relationship, and a tip controller to select the tips for performing the profiling or milling and to determine conditions for performing milling, wherein a depth of the sample being processed by the milling in the first direction is controlled based on a relationship between a distance between the tips and the sample and a force between the tips and the sample.

A method for nanoscale tomographic infrared absorption imaging is provided, the method including: generating a first plurality of sets of probe measurements for a plurality of sample locations located across a surface of a sample, and measuring a magnitude and phase of a variation in displacement of the surface of the sample at the particular sample location at the second frequency, wherein the first frequency and the second frequency differ; and generating, based on the first plurality of sets of probe measurements, a three-dimensional tomographic map of absorption of infrared light at the first wavelength by the sample. Generating measurements for a particular location includes generating a first probe measurement by illuminating the sample with infrared light that varies at a first frequency and measuring a variation in displacement of the surface of the sample at the particular sample location at the first frequency.

The present document relates to a heterodyne scanning probe microscopy (SPM) method for subsurface imaging, and includes: applying, using a transducer, an acoustic input signal to the sample, wherein the acoustic input signal has a frequency of at least 1 gigahertz; sensing an acoustic output signal using a probe, the probe including a cantilever and a probe tip, wherein the probe tip is in contact with the surface, wherein the acoustic output signal is representative of acoustic waves responsive to the acoustic input signal that are measurable at the surface; wherein the acoustic input signal is applied to the sample comprising a distinct pulse of acoustic energy followed by a relaxation period, wherein an acoustic power of the acoustic input signal during the pulse is at least twice as large as an acoustic power during the relaxation period. The present document further relates to a scanning probe microscopy method.

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.

Methods and systems for subsurface imaging of nanostructures buried inside a plate shaped substrate are provided. An ultrasonic generator at a side face of the substrate is used to couple ultrasound waves (W) into an interior of the substrate. The interior has or forms a waveguide for propagating the ultrasound waves (W) in a direction (X) along a length of the substrate transverse to the side face. The nanostructures are imaged using an AFM tip to measure an effect (E) at the top surface caused by direct or indirect interaction of the ultrasound waves (W) with the buried nanostructures.

A method for obtaining optical spectroscopic information about a sub-micron region of a sample with quantitatively controlled depth/volume of the sample subsurface using a scanning probe microscope. With controlled probing depth/volume, the method can separate top surface data from subsurface optical/chemical information. The method can also be applied in liquid suitable for studying biological and chemical samples in their native aqueous environments, as opposed to air. In the method, a depth-controlled spectrum of the surface layer is constructed by illuminating the sample with a beam of infrared radiation and measuring a probe response using at least one of the resonant frequencies of the probe. The surface sensitivity is obtained by limiting the heat diffusion effect of the subsurface so as to confine the signal. The signal confinement is achieved through non-linearity of the acoustic wave with probe, as well as benefits gained by a high modulation frequency of the infrared radiation source at >1 MHz.

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 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 light emitting diode (LED) array is formed by bonding an LED substrate to a backplane substrate via fitted nanotube interconnects. The backplane substrate may include circuits for driving the LED array. The LED substrate may be a chip or wafer, and may include one or more LED devices. The LED substrate is positioned above the backplane substrate, such that a LED device of the LED substrate is aligned to a corresponding circuit in the backplane substrate. Each of the fitted interconnects electrically connect a LED device to the corresponding circuit of the backplane substrate.

Provided are a scanning probe microscope and a setting method thereof that contribute to a reduction in the time taken for measuring. The scanning probe microscope includes: a movement driving unit capable of moving a cantilever and a sample relatively in at least a z direction; and a control device operating an approach operation of making the cantilever and the sample approach to each other at a predetermined speed by controlling the movement driving unit, and stopping the approach operation when it is determined that the probe and the sample are in contact with each other, wherein the predetermined speed is set such that when the control for stopping the approach operation is performed, force applied to the sample due to contact between the probe and the sample does not exceed a preset first force.