Abstract: Apparatus for electrical and optical nanoprobing at resolution beyond optical diffraction limit. Navigation microscope is configured for navigation to a region of interest. A probe spatial positioner supports a fork and an oscillating piezotube is attached to the free end of the fork and provides an output indicating of a distance to the sample. A single-mode optical fiber having a near-field transducer formed at an end thereof is attached to the oscillating piezotube such that the near-field transducer extends below the oscillating piezotube towards the sample. A photodetector is positioned to detect photons collected from the sample. The near-field transducer may be formed as a tapered section formed at the end of the single-mode optical fiber, a metallic coating formed at a tip of the tapered section, and an aperture formed in the metallic coating so as to expose the tip of the tapered section through the metallic coating.

Abstract: The number of detection channels of detecting sections is increased and the detecting sections are replaced easily and at low cost while suppressing loss in the quantity of returning light. Provided is a detection unit (5A) including a detector entrance port (75A) through which light in a predetermined optical form enters, a detector (57A) that detects at least a portion of the light entering through the detector entrance port (75A), and a detector exit port (65A) through which at least another portion of the light entering through the detector entrance port (75A) can exit in the same optical form.

Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing near-field optical probes including at least one organo-mineral material with an organic part and a mineral part, the method including steps of irradiating at least partially the organo-mineral material with a radiation beam to polymerize the organic part in the irradiated areas, and polycondensing the mineral part by sol-gel process. Also disclosed are near-field optical probes and AFM and SNOM systems using the probes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for measuring the near-field signal of a sample in a scattering type near-field microscope and to a device for conducting said method.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of performing physical property measurements on a sample with a probe-based metrology instrument employing a nano-confined light source is provided. In one embodiment, an SPM probe tip is configured to support an appropriate receiving element so as to provide a nano-localized light source that is able to efficiently and locally excite the sample on the nanoscale. Preferably, the separation between the tip apex and the sample during spectroscopic measurements is maintained at less than 10 nm, for example, using an AFM TR Mode control scheme.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a microdevice for emitting electromagnetic radiation, the microdevice being adapted so as to be controllable by electromagnetic radiation, such as light. The microdevice comprises a first electromagnetic radiation emitting unit arranged to emit electromagnetic radiation 1728, so as to be able to irradiate electromagnetic radiation onto a structure of interest 1740. The microdevice further comprising means for enabling non-contact spatial control over the microdevice in terms of translational movement in three dimensions, and rotational movement around at least two axes. The present invention thus provides an instrument which enables controlled irradiation of light onto very well defined areas on the nano-scale of objects of interest. Furthermore, the device enables receipt of light and may thus work as an optically controlled microendoscope.

Abstract: To reliably detect scattered light generated in the near field light generation area in the inspection of a thermal assist type magnetic head (herein after refer to magnetic head), the present invention provides a magnetic head inspection apparatus including: a scanning probe microscope including a cantilever having a probe with a magnetic film formed on the surface of the tip; a probe unit for supplying alternating current to a terminal formed in a magnetic head element, so that the laser beam is incident on the near field light emitting part; an imaging unit for taking an image of the probe unit and the magnetic head element; a scattered light detection unit for detecting the scattered light generated from the probe present in the generation area of the near field light of the magnetic head element, through a pinhole; and a signal processing unit for inspecting the magnetic head element.

Abstract: This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus related to probes for multidimensional nanospectroscopic imaging. In one aspect, a method includes providing a transparent tip comprising a dielectric material. A four-sided pyramidal-shaped structure is formed at an apex of the transparent tip using a focused ion beam. Metal layers are deposited over two opposing sides of the four-sided pyramidal-shaped structure.

Abstract: A microwave probe having a metal tip on the free end of a microcantilever. In one embodiment, a pyramidal pit is isotropically etched in a device wafer of monocrystalline silicon. Oxidation may sharpen the pit. Deposited metal forms the metal tip in the pit and a bottom shield. Other metal sandwiched between equally thick dielectric layers contact the tip and form a conduction path along the cantilever for the probe and detected signals. Further metal forms a top shield overlying the conduction path and the dielectrically isolated tip and having equal thickness to the bottom shield, thus producing together with the symmetric dielectric layers a balanced structure with reduced thermal bending. The device wafer is bonded to a handle wafer. The handle is formed and remaining silicon of the device wafer is removed to release the cantilever.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods of preparing nanoprobes, including multifunctional cellular endoscope-like devices, comprising nanotubes, nanorods, and/or nanowires.

Abstract: Provided is a friction force microscope that can measure a friction force by a cantilever in a quantitative manner. The friction force microscope includes a friction force calculating mechanism that calculates an effective probe height and a torsional spring constant of the cantilever from bending sensitivity determined from displacement information in a bending direction of the cantilever and torsional sensitivity determined from displacement information in a torsional direction of the cantilever, respectively, so as to use the calculated values for calculating the friction force.

Abstract: A microscope including both an atomic force microscope and a near-field optical microscope and capable of performing electrochemical measurements and a cantilever for the microscope are disclosed. A pointed light transmitting material employed as the probe of an atomic force microscope is coated with a metal layer; the metal layer is further coated with an insulating layer; the insulating layer is removed only at the distal end to expose the metal layer; the slightly exposed metal layer is employed as a working electrode; and the probe can be employed not only as the probe of the atomic force microscope and the near-field optical microscope but also as the electrode of an electrochemical microscope. Consequently, the microscope can have the functions of an atomic force microscope, a near-field optical microscope and an electrochemical microscope.

Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing near-field optical probes including at least one organo-mineral material with an organic part and a mineral part, the method including steps of irradiating at least partially the organo-mineral material with a radiation beam to polymerize the organic part in the irradiated areas, and polycondensing the mineral part by sol-gel process. Also disclosed are near-field optical probes and AFM and SNOM systems using the probes.

Abstract: A method of creating a probe for scanned probe microscopy is disclosed. The method includes providing a wafer having a support wafer layer and a device layer. The method includes masking the wafer with a masking layer. The method includes removing a portion of the masking layer at the device layer. The method includes etching the wafer along the portion of the masking layer that has been removed to create a crystal facet surface that is oriented at a tilt angle. The method includes epitaxially growing a tip along the crystal facet surface.

Abstract: A scanning probe microscopy instrument includes a cantilevered tip that has a nanowire light emitting diode (LED).

Abstract: A scanner for a scanning probe microscope (SPM) including a head has a scanner body that houses an actuator, and a sensor that detects scanner movement. The scanner body is removable from the head by hand and without the use of tools and has a total volume of less than about five (5) square inches. Provisions are made for insuring that movement of a probe device coupled to the scanner is restricted to be substantially only in the intended direction. A fundamental resonance frequency for the scanner can be greater than 10 kHz.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for conducting near-field optical measurements of a specimen comprising an optical imaging system, the use of such device and to a method for adjusting the probe or the illumination of the probe in such a device.

Abstract: Interatomic forces are measured with subatomic lateral resolution by in situ calibrated non-contact and passively thermal drift compensated atomic force microscopy in aqueous or generally liquidous environment; interatomic forces acting between distinct electronic orbitals of front-most tip atom and opposing sample atom can be quantitatively measured with subatomic lateral resolution. Calibration standard is a CaCO3-crystal, which undergoes a well defined pressure induced phase transition from the calcite to the aragonite crystal lattice structure providing an accurate independent force anchor point for the AFM's force versus distance curve. Furthermore, an independent actual tip-sample-distance d calibration is obtained by directly observing oscillatory (steric) solvation forces originating simply from packing effects of the liquid particles at very small tip-sample separations d.

Abstract: A method of obtaining PINEM images includes providing femtosecond optical pulse, generating electron pulses, and directing the electron pulses towards a sample. The method also includes overlapping the femtosecond optical pulses and the electron pulses spatially and temporally at the sample and transferring energy from the femtosecond optical pulses to the electron pulses. The method further includes detecting electron pulses having an energy greater than a zero loss value, providing imaging in space and time.

Abstract: Provided is a scanning near-field optical microscope capable of obtaining, in a highly sensitive manner, optical information having a spatial frequency higher than a spatial frequency corresponding to a wavelength of irradiation light. A scanning near-field optical microscope 100 according to the present invention includes: a light irradiating part 102 for emitting illumination light toward a sample 107; a light receiving part 112 for receiving light; a microstructure for generating or selectively transmitting near-field light, the microstructure being disposed on at least one of an emission side of the light irradiating part 102 and an incident side of the light receiving part 112; and an ultrahigh-wavenumber transmitting medium 108 for transmitting near-field light, the ultrahigh-wavenumber transmitting medium exhibiting anisotropy in permittivity or permeability.

Abstract: To date, the probes of scanning near-field optical microscopes were aimed at creating electromagnetic field characteristics that are maximally localized near a nano-sized point (miniature apertures and tips, fluorescent nano-particles and molecules, dielectric and metal corners). Alternatively, the probe field, which is distributed within a larger area, can ensure the super-resolution as well. For this purpose, the field spectrum should be enriched with high spatial frequencies corresponding to small sample dimensions. As examples of such near-field probes, we propose and theoretically study the models of optical fibers with end-faces containing sharp linear edges and randomly distributed nanoparticles. These probes are more robust than the conventional probes and their fabrication is not concerned with nanoscale precision. The probes enable waveguiding of light to and from the sample with marginal losses distributing and utilizing the incident light more completely.

Abstract: A device for scanning the surface of a sample which is covered with a liquid, comprising a probe which has a tip at one end, means for moving the probe and the sample relative to one another a light source focussing device which focuses light from the light source onto a location in the area of the tip located in the liquid and a detector for detecting light which was scattered by the tip, wherein a boundary surface at which the light enters the liquid is located on the light path between the light source and the tip, wherein the boundary surface is positionally fixed with respect to the probe.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for fabricating a probe tip, capable of preventing a rapid increase of a surface size of a front end of the probe tip as the probe tip is worn out by a frequent contact with a wafer chip and, also, capable of improving the precision of the front end of the probe tip. The method for fabricating a probe tip includes forming a front end of the probe tip on a silicon wafer; forming a first protective layer which is patterned to expose a part of the front end of the probe tip; and forming a body of the probe tip in a portion opened by the pattern of the first protective layer.

Abstract: Better leveling procedures for patterning at the small scale including the nanoscale. A method comprising: providing at least one array of cantilevers comprising tips thereon, wherein the cantilevers comprise at least one relatively bright spot, or at least two relatively bright spots, near the tip upon viewing, providing a substrate, leveling the array and the substrate with respect to each other, wherein the relatively bright spot near the tip is viewed to determine a contact of the tip and substrate.

Abstract: Transmission efficiency and/or spatial resolution provided by resonant apertures can be enhanced by disposing a tip on part of the screen that extends laterally into the aperture. For example, a tip disposed on the ridge of a C-shaped aperture can dramatically improve performance. A spatial resolution of ?/50 has been experimentally demonstrated with this approach. The combination of high spatial resolution and high transmission efficiency provided by this approach enables many applications, such as near field optical probes for near field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM). Another application is high resolution electron sources, where an photoelectron emitter can be disposed at or near a tip+aperture structure such that the high resolution optical near-field provides a correspondingly high resolution electron source.

Abstract: A probe for near-field light scattering, has, on the tip thereof, at least fine particles containing silver or silver oxide, a titanium oxide layer, and a silver layer at least in the named order from the surface thereof. A process for producing the probe for near-field light scattering comprises at least steps of forming a silver layer, a titanium oxide layer, and fine particles containing silver or silver oxide in the named order on the body of the probe. A near-field optical microscope or a Raman spectroscope, comprises the probe for the near-field light scattering; a control function for bringing the probe into contact with a surface of a test sample; an optical excitation system for producing an exciting light to or vicinity of the tip of the probe; and detecting optical system for detecting detection light emitted form the tip of the probe.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for conducting near-field optical measurements of a specimen, a method for conducting near-field optical measurements and the use of the device.

Abstract: Provided is a scanning near-field optical microscope capable of obtaining in a highly sensitive manner, optical information having a spatial frequency higher than a spatial frequency corresponding to a wavelength of irradiation light. A scanning near-field optical microscope 100 according to the present invention includes: a light irradiating part 102 for emitting illumination light toward a sample 107; a light receiving part 112 for receiving light; a microstructure for generating or selectively transmitting near-field light, the microstructure being disposed on at least one of an emission side of the light irradiating part 102 and an incident side of the light receiving part 112; and an ultrahigh-wavenumber transmitting medium 108 for transmitting near-field light, the ultrahigh-wavenumber transmitting medium exhibiting anisotropy in permittivity or permeability.

Abstract: For adjusting a positional relationship between a specimen and a probe to measure an electric characteristic of the specimen through a contact therebetween, a base table holding a specimen table holding the specimen and a probe holder holding the probe is positioned at a first position to measure the positional relationship between the probe and the specimen at the first position, and subsequently positioned at a second position to measure the positional relationship therebetween at the second position so that the probe and the specimen are contact each other at the second position, the specimen table and the probe holder are movable with respect to each other on the base table at each of the first and second positions to adjust the positional relationship between the probe and the specimen, and a measuring accuracy at the second position is superior to a measuring accuracy at the first position.

Abstract: Transmission efficiency and/or spatial resolution provided by resonant apertures can be enhanced by disposing a tip on part of the screen that extends laterally into the aperture. For example, a tip disposed on the ridge of a C-shaped aperture can dramatically improve performance. A spatial resolution of ?/50 has been experimentally demonstrated with this approach. The combination of high spatial resolution and high transmission efficiency provided by this approach enables many applications, such as near field optical probes for near field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM). Another application is high resolution electron sources, where an photoelectron emitter can be disposed at or near a tip+aperture structure such that the high resolution optical near-field provides a correspondingly high resolution electron source.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to atom probes, atom probe specimens, and associated methods. For example, certain aspects are directed toward methods for analyzing a portion of a specimen that includes selecting a region of interest and moving a portion of material in a border region proximate to the region of interest so that at least a portion of the region of interest protrudes relative to at least a portion of the border region. The method further includes analyzing a portion of the region of interest. Other aspects of the invention are directed toward a method for applying photonic energy in an atom probe process by passing photonic energy through a lens system separated from a photonic device and spaced apart from the photonic device. Yet other aspects of the invention are directed toward a method for reflecting photonic energy off an outer surface of an electrode onto a specimen.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a protected metallic or metallized scanning probe microscopy tip for apertureless near-field optical applications which comprise a metallic tip or a metallic structure covering a scanning probe microscopy tip, protected by an ultrathin dielectric layer. In one embodiment, the protective layer is comprised of SiOx, AI2O3, or any other hard ultrathin dielectric layer that extends the lifetime of the tip by providing mechanical, chemical, and thermal protection to the entire structure.

Abstract: A scanning probe microscope and method for operating the same are disclosed. The microscope includes a probe mount for attaching a probe, an electro-mechanical actuator, a probe position signal generator, an impulse signal generator and a servo. A probe tip is mounted on a first end of a cantilever arm, a second end of the cantilever arm being mounted on a mechanical vibrator that causes the second end to vibrate in response to a drive signal. The probe position signal generator generates a position signal indicative of a position of the probe relative to the second end of the cantilever arm. The impulse signal generator measures a quantity related to an impulse imparted to the probe tip by the interaction between the tip and the local characteristics of the sample. The servo operates the electro-mechanical actuator so as to maintain the measured quantity at a predetermined value.

Abstract: Techniques for forming a nanostructure on a probe tip are provided.

Abstract: A microscope for performing apertureless near-field scanning optical microscopy on a sample comprising a means for mounting a sample; a scanning probe; means for illuminating the sample with light along optical axes from at least two illumination angles relative to an imaginary line connecting the probe and the sample; means for enhancing the electric field of light in a region of the sample with the probe; means for scanning the sample in a plane perpendicular to an imaginary line connecting the probe and the sample; means for moving said sample along said imaginary line to maintain a nearly constant distance between the probe and the sample; and means for collecting light scattered, emitted, or transmitted from the sample.

Abstract: A microscope including both an atomic force microscope and a near-field optical microscope and capable of performing electrochemical measurements and a cantilever for the microscope are disclosed. A pointed light transmitting material employed as the probe of an atomic force microscope is coated with a metal layer; the metal layer is further coated with an insulating layer; the insulating layer is removed only at the distal end to expose the metal layer; the slightly exposed metal layer is employed as a working electrode; and the probe can be employed not only as the probe of the atomic force microscope and the near-field optical microscope but also as the electrode of an electrochemical microscope. Consequently, the microscope can have the functions of an atomic force microscope, a near-field optical microscope and an electrochemical microscope.

Abstract: A system and method for analyzing and imaging a sample containing molecules of interest combines modified MALDI mass spectrometer and SNOM devices and techniques, and includes: (A) an atmospheric-pressure or near-atmospheric-pressure ionization region; (B) a sample holder for holding the sample; (C) a laser for illuminating said sample; (D) a mass spectrometer having at least one evacuated vacuum chamber; (E) an atmospheric pressure interface connecting said ionization region and said mass spectrometer; (F) a scanning near-field optical microscopy instrument comprising a near-field probe for scanning the sample; a vacuum capillary nozzle for sucking in particles which are desorbed by said laser, the nozzle being connected to an inlet orifice of said atmospheric pressure interface; a scanner platform connected to the sample holder, the platform being movable to a distance within a near-field distance of the probe; and a controller for maintaining distance information about a current distance between said probe

Abstract: Provided are a probe for surface enhanced vibrational spectroscopic analysis which has excellent detection sensitivity to laser light having an intensity level at which a sample is not damaged and which has a long life, and a method of manufacturing the probe. The probe for surface enhanced vibrational spectroscopic analysis is formed on a cantilever. A plurality of metal fine particles are dispersed in the probe. The plurality of metal fine particles are exposed on the surface of the probe.

Abstract: An improved near-field scanning optical microscope probe is disclosed. The near-field scanning optical microscope probe includes a probe body and two electrodes extending from the probe body to form a probe tip. In addition, a light-emitting diode is disposed between the two electrodes at the probe tip to act as a light source for the near-field scanning optical microscope probe.

Abstract: The invention relates to a near-field antenna comprising a dielectric shaped body having a tip. The shaped body is characterized in that at least the surface of the tip is metallized, thereby enhancing the sensitivity of devices comprising the near-field antenna, for example, spectroscopes, microscopes or read-write heads.

Abstract: To date, the probes of scanning near-field optical microscopes were aimed at creating electromagnetic field characteristics that are maximally localized near a nano-sized point (miniature apertures and tips, fluorescent nano-particles and molecules, dielectric and metal corners). Alternatively, the probe field, which is distributed within a larger area, can ensure the super-resolution as well. For this purpose, the field spectrum should be enriched with high spatial frequencies corresponding to small sample dimensions. As examples of such near-field probes, we propose and theoretically study the models of optical fibers with end-faces containing sharp linear edges and randomly distributed nanoparticles. These probes are more robust than the conventional probes and their fabrication is not concerned with nanoscale precision. The probes enable waveguiding of light to and from the sample with marginal losses distributing and utilizing the incident light more completely.