Wear-less operation of a material surface with a scanning probe microscope

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United States of America Patent

PATENT NO 9977050
SERIAL NO

12940079

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Abstract

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A method and a scanning probe microscope (SPM) for scanning a surface of a material. The method and SPM have a cantilever sensor configured to exhibit both a first spring behavior and a second, stiffer spring behavior. While operating the SPM in contact mode, the sensor is scanned on the material surface and a first spring behavior of the sensor (e.g. a fundamental mode of flexure thereof) is excited by deflection of the sensor by the material surface. Also while operating the SPM in contact mode, excitation means are used to excite a second spring behavior of the sensor at a resonance frequency thereof (e.g. one or more higher-order resonant modes) of the cantilever sensor to modulate an interaction of the sensor and the material surface and thereby reduce the wearing of the material surface.

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Patent Owner(s)

Patent OwnerAddress
HEIDELBERG INSTRUMENTS NANO AGBÄNDLIWEG 30 ZÜRICH 8048

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Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Duerig, Urs T Switzerland, CH 91 618
Gotsmann, Bernd W Switzerland, CH 59 252
Knoll, Armin W Switzerland, CH 69 317
Lantz, Mark Alfred Switzerland, CH 36 225

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