Abstract: The invention concerns a method for patterning a surface of a material. A substrate having a polymer film thereon is provided. The polymer is a selectively reactive polymer (e.g. thermodynamically unstable): it is able to unzip upon suitable stimulation. A probe is used to create patterns on the film. During the patterning, the film is locally stimulated for unzipping polymer chains. Hence, a basic idea is to provide a stimulus to the polymeric material, which in turn spontaneously decomposes e.g. into volatile constituents. For example, the film is thermally stimulated in order to break a single bond in a polymer chain, which is sufficient to trigger the decomposition of the entire polymer chain.

Abstract: A resist medium in which features are lithographically produced by scanning a surface of the medium with an AFM probe positioned in contact therewith. The resist medium comprises a substrate; and a polymer resist layer within which features are produced by mechanical action of the probe. The polymer contains thermally reversible crosslinkages. Also disclosed are methods that generally includes scanning a surface of the polymer resist layer with an AFM probe positioned in contact with the resist layer, wherein heating the probe and a squashing-type mechanical action of the probe produces features in the layer by thermally reversing the crosslinkages.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a data storage device comprising: a polymer layer for storing data in the form of topographic features; a substrate comprising a conductor, a first surface of the polymer layer being provided on the substrate; and at least one probe which, when the device is in use, interacts with a second surface of the polymer layer, wherein, when in use, the data storage device is operable to apply a first electrical potential to the at least one probe relative to the substrate, thereby to cause a protrusion to be formed on the second surface of the polymer layer.

Abstract: An arrangement for a laboratory room that is confined by a floor, a ceiling and walls connecting the floor with the ceiling, the arrangement comprises: a main base suspended on the floor; a tool base arranged on the main base; a platform arranged around the tool base, wherein the platform is permeable for air, and the platform is suspended at the walls; an air inlet arranged below the platform; an air outlet arranged above the tool base; and air guides for directing an air flow upwards at least partially parallel to the main base and/or the tool base.

Abstract: A method for operating the arrangement for a laboratory room confined by a floor, a ceiling and walls connecting the floor with the ceiling, including inducing an air flow from an air inlet through a platform to an air outlet in a substantially laminar fashion. The arrangement includes a main base suspended on the floor; a tool base arranged on the main base; a platform arranged around the tool base, wherein the platform is permeable for air, and the platform is suspended at the walls; the air inlet arranged below the platform; the air outlet arranged above the tool base; and air guides for directing an air flow upwards.

Abstract: A scanning probe lithography (SPL) apparatus, an SPL method, and a material having a surface thickness patterned according to the SPL method. The apparatus includes: two or more probes with respective shapes, where the respective shapes are different and the respective shapes form, in operation, different patterns in a thickness of a surface of a material processed with the apparatus.

Abstract: A system, device and method for electrically addressing an element include providing a thermoelectric layer in proximity with an area to be addressed and positioning a probe in proximity of the thermoelectric layer. Electrical activity is induced in the thermoelectric layer by applying heat from the probe. A response is caused in the area to be addressed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a data storage device comprising: a data storage medium for storing data in the form of topographic features; and at least one probe for writing and/or reading the data stored in the data storage medium, wherein the data storage medium is formed on a support layer, the support layer having a lower shear modulus than the data storage medium.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of fabricating a semiconductor device. The method includes: providing a semiconductor substrate and locally heating the semiconductor substrate by using a heated tip structure. Locally heating the semiconductor substrate is carried out to locally modify the electrical properties of the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate can be implanted with dopants, so that locally heating step causes a local activation of the implanted dopants. Furthermore, the semiconductor substrate can be provided with a dopant layer, so that locally heating step causes dopants to diffuse into the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of reducing the wear of a tip of a probe when the tip is in contact with a surface of a substrate and when the probe is mounted on a support structure. A method is provided where a load force is applied to the probe, thereby causing the tip to be maintained substantially in contact with the substrate surface and a modulation step where the e magnitude of the load force is modulated at a modulation frequency. The modulation frequency is selected to be greater than a fundamental vibration frequency of the support structure on which the probe is mounted.

Abstract: Systems and methods for storing and reading data in a data storage system are provided. The data storage system includes a storage medium for storing data. The storage medium stores data as a plurality of topographical features. Further, the data storage system includes one or more transducer. One or more transducer writes data on the storage medium. Additionally, the data storage medium includes one or more gates. A first voltage bias is applied to one or more gates. The data storage system further includes, one or more read heads. One or more read heads include one or more Floating Gate Transistors (FGTs). The first voltage bias creates an electric field between one or more FGTs and one or more gates. A change in the electric field is detected by one or more FGTs.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for producing a data storage medium on a surface of a substrate for storing data in the form of topographic features. The method comprises a first step wherein a crosslinking agent containing at least three alkyne groups is deposited on the surface of the substrate. In a second step the deposited cross linking agent is cured so as to obtain the data storage medium in the form of a crosslinked polymeric layer on the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A device for sensing a position of a probe relative to a reference medium, the probe comprising a heater element with a temperature dependent electrical resistance and being adapted to determine probe position by measuring a parameter associated to a thermal relaxation time of the heater element.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A resist medium in which features are lithographically produced by scanning a surface of the medium with an AFM probe positioned in contact therewith. The resist medium comprises a substrate; and a polymer resist layer within which features are produced by mechanical action of the probe. The polymer contains thermally reversible crosslinkages. Also disclosed are methods that generally includes scanning a surface of the polymer resist layer with an AFM probe positioned in contact with the resist layer, wherein heating the probe and a squashing-type mechanical action of the probe produces features in the layer by thermally reversing the crosslinkages.

Abstract: A resist medium in which features are lithographically produced by scanning a surface of the medium with an AFM probe positioned in contact therewith. The resist medium comprises a substrate; and a polymer resist layer within which features are produced by mechanical action of the probe. The polymer contains thermally reversible crosslinkages. Also disclosed are methods that generally includes scanning a surface of the polymer resist layer with an AFM probe positioned in contact with the resist layer, wherein heating the probe and a squashing-type mechanical action of the probe produces features in the layer by thermally reversing the crosslinkages.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for patterning a surface of a material. A substrate having a polymer film thereon is provided. The polymer is a selectively reactive polymer (e.g. thermodynamically unstable): it is able to unzip upon suitable stimulation. A probe is used to create patterns on the film. During the patterning, the film is locally stimulated for unzipping polymer chains. Hence, a basic idea is to provide a stimulus to the polymeric material, which in turn spontaneously decomposes e.g. into volatile constituents. For example, the film is thermally stimulated in order to break a single bond in a polymer chain, which is sufficient to trigger the decomposition of the entire polymer chain.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel method for determining the mechanical properties of the surfaces of materials including thin films. Generally, the method is comprised of laterally scanning the surface of the film with an array of cantilever tips varying temperature, load and time to obtain a measurement of mechanical properties, such as hardness and glass transition temperature. The method can be used to obtain mechanical properties of films that would otherwise be unobtainable using standard methods.

Abstract: Probe-based methods for patterning a surface of a material are described. In particular, high resolution patterning of molecules on a surface of a material, such as nano-scale patterns with feature sizes of less than 30 nanometers, are described. In one aspect, a method for patterning a surface of a material includes providing a material having a polymer film. A heated, nano-scale dimensioned probe is then used to desorb molecules upon interacting with the film. The film includes a network of molecules (such as molecular glasses) which are cross-linked via intermolecular (noncovalent) bonds, such as hydrogen bonds.

Abstract: A device for sensing a position of a probe relative to a reference medium, including a heater element with a temperature dependent electrical resistance which determines probe position by measuring a parameter related to a thermal relaxation time of the heater element.