Method and apparatus for automated scanning probe microscopy

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United States of America Patent

PATENT NO 9448393
APP PUB NO 20150241468A1
SERIAL NO

14629817

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Abstract

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This invention concerns scanning probe microscopes and related instruments (“SPMs”) when used to investigate or measure large samples whose size is a multiple of the typical operational scanning area of an SPM, say 150 μm×150 μm at most. To avoid frequent readjustments or other time-consuming human interaction and errors when focusing the SPM, a multi-step, automated method for the SPM-scanning of large samples is disclosed, comprising a “coarse”, i.e. low resolution, non-SPM scanning or mapping step adapted to scan a large sample and providing an integral map of the sample, followed by a preferably mathematical evaluation step identifying areas of interest of the sample, which areas are then subjected to a focused “fine” raster scanning step by the SPM with high resolution. The associated apparatus provides the means to execute this novel three-step process.

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Patent Owner(s)

Patent OwnerAddress
NUOMEDIS AGGRAUBERNSTRASSE 14 LIESTAL CH-4410

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Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Howald, Lukas Emanuel Dornach, CH 1 2
Matter, Urs Solothurn, CH 3 18
Sum, Robert Liestal, CH 1 2

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