Abstract: An atomic force microscope is provided having a controller configured to store one or more positional parameters output by a sensor assembly when a light spot is located at a first preset position on the surface of the cantilever. The controller is further configured to operate an actuator assembly so as to induce movement of the spot away from the first preset position, to detect said movement of the first spot based on a change in the one or more positional parameters output by the sensor assembly, and to operate an optical assembly in response to the detected movement of the first spot to return the first spot to the first preset position.

Abstract: An atomic force microscope is provided having a controller configured to store one or more positional parameters output by a sensor assembly when a light spot is located at a first preset position on the surface of the cantilever. The controller is further configured to operate an actuator assembly so as to induce movement of the spot away from the first preset position, to detect said movement of the first spot based on a change in the one or more positional parameters output by the sensor assembly, and to operate an optical assembly in response to the detected movement of the first spot to return the first spot to the first preset position.

Abstract: An atomic force microscope is provided having a controller configured to store one or more positional parameters output by a sensor assembly when a light spot is located at a first preset position on the surface of the cantilever. The controller is further configured to operate an actuator assembly so as to induce movement of the spot away from the first preset position, to detect said movement of the first spot based on a change in the one or more positional parameters output by the sensor assembly, and to operate an optical assembly in response to the detected movement of the first spot to return the first spot to the first preset position.

Abstract: This invention relates to a metrological scanning probe microscope system combining an SPM which employs an optical lever arrangement to measure displacement of the probe indirectly with another SPM which measures the displacement of the probe directly through the use of an interferometric detection scheme.

Abstract: This invention relates to a metrological scanning probe microscope system combining an SPM which employs an optical lever arrangement to measure displacement of the probe indirectly with another SPM which measures the displacement of the probe directly through the use of an interferometric detection scheme.

Abstract: Apparatus and techniques presented combine the features and benefits of amplitude modulated (AM) atomic force microscopy (AFM), sometimes called AC mode AFM, with frequency modulated (FM) AFM. In AM-FM imaging, the topographic feedback from the first resonant drive frequency operates in AM mode while the phase feedback from second resonant drive frequency operates in FM mode. In particular the first or second frequency may be used to measure the loss tangent, a dimensionless parameter which measures the ratio of energy dissipated to energy stored in a cycle of deformation.

Abstract: This invention relates to a metrological scanning probe microscope system combining an SPM which employs an optical lever arrangement to measure displacement of the probe indirectly with another SPM which measures the displacement of the probe directly through the use of an interferometric detection scheme.

Abstract: Apparatus and techniques presented combine the features and benefits of amplitude modulated (AM) atomic force microscopy (AFM), sometimes called AC mode AFM, with frequency modulated (FM) AFM. In AM-FM imaging, the topographic feedback from the first resonant drive frequency operates in AM mode while the phase feedback from second resonant drive frequency operates in FM mode. In particular the first or second frequency may be used to measure the loss tangent, a dimensionless parameter which measures the ratio of energy dissipated to energy stored in a cycle of deformation.

Abstract: An optical light beam positioning system that enables the combination of two or more light beams of different wavelengths to be focused onto a probe or sample of a scientific instrument, such as an atomic force microscope, for a number of specific uses typical to AFMs, like measuring the deflection or oscillation of the probe and illuminating an object for optical imaging, and less traditional ones like photothermal excitation of the probe, photothermal activated changes in the sample, photothermal cleaning of the probe and photochemical, photovoltaic, photothermal and other light beam induced changes in the sample. The focused light beams may be independently positioned relative to each other.

Abstract: This invention relates to a metrological scanning probe microscope system combining an SPM which employs an optical lever arrangement to measure displacement of the probe indirectly with another SPM which measures the displacement of the probe directly through the use of an interferometric detection scheme.

Abstract: Apparatus and techniques presented combine the features and benefits of amplitude modulated (AM) atomic force microscopy (AFM), sometimes called AC mode AFM, with frequency modulated (FM) AFM. In AM-FM imaging, the topographic feedback from the first resonant drive frequency operates in AM mode while the phase feedback from second resonant drive frequency operates in FM mode. In particular the first or second frequency may be used to measure the loss tangent, a dimensionless parameter which measures the ratio of energy dissipated to energy stored in a cycle of deformation.

Abstract: This invention relates to a metrological scanning probe microscope system combining an SPM which employs an optical lever arrangement to measure displacement of the probe indirectly with another SPM which measures the displacement of the probe directly through the use of an interferometric detection scheme.

Abstract: Energy dissipation measurements in Frequency Modulation-Atomic Force Microscopy (FM-AFM) should provide additional information for dynamic force measurements as well as energy dissipation maps for robust material properties imaging as they should not be dependent directly upon the cantilever surface interaction regime. However, unexplained variabilities in experimental data have prevented progress in utilizing such energy dissipation studies. The inventors have demonstrated that the frequency response of the piezoacoustic cantilever excitation system, traditionally assumed flat, can actually lead to surprisingly large apparent damping by the coupling of the frequency shift to the drive-amplitude signal. Accordingly, means for correcting this source of apparent damping are presented allowing dissipation measurements to be reliably obtained and quantitatively compared to theoretical models.

Abstract: Apparatus and techniques presented combine the features and benefits of amplitude modulated (AM) atomic force microscopy (AFM), sometimes called AC mode AFM, with frequency modulated (FM) AFM. In AM-FM imaging, the topographic feedback from the first resonant drive frequency operates in AM mode while the phase feedback from second resonant drive frequency operates in FM mode. In particular the first or second frequency may be used to measure the loss tangent, a dimensionless parameter which measures the ratio of energy dissipated to energy stored in a cycle of deformation.

Abstract: An optical light beam positioning system that enables the combination of two or more light beams of different wavelengths to be focused onto a probe or sample of a scientific instrument, such as an atomic force microscope, for a number of specific uses typical to AFMs, like measuring the deflection or oscillation of the probe and illuminating an object for optical imaging, and less traditional ones like photothermal excitation of the probe, photothermal activated changes in the sample, photothermal cleaning of the probe and photochemical, photovoltaic, photothermal and other light beam induced changes in the sample. The focused light beams may be independently positioned relative to each other.

Abstract: Apparatus and techniques presented combine the features and benefits of amplitude modulated (AM) atomic force microscopy (AFM), sometimes called AC mode AFM, with frequency modulated (FM) AFM. In AM-FM imaging, the topographic feedback from the first resonant drive frequency operates in AM mode while the phase feedback from second resonant drive frequency operates in FM mode. In particular the first or second frequency may be used to measure the loss tangent, a dimensionless parameter which measures the ratio of energy dissipated to energy stored in a cycle of deformation.

Abstract: This invention relates to an optical light beam positioning system that enables the combination of two or more light beams of different wavelengths to be focused onto a probe or sample of a scientific instrument, such as an atomic force microscope, for a number of specific uses typical to AFMs, like measuring the deflection or oscillation of the probe and illuminating an object for optical imaging, and less traditional ones like photothermal excitation of the probe, photothermal activated changes in the sample, photothermal cleaning of the probe and photochemical, photovoltaic, photothermal and other light beam induced changes in the sample. The focused light beams may be independently positioned relative to each other.

Abstract: This invention relates to a metrological scanning probe microscope system combining an SPM which employs an optical lever arrangement to measure displacement of the probe indirectly with another SPM which measures the displacement of the probe directly through the use of an interferometric detection scheme.

Abstract: Apparatus and techniques presented combine the features and benefits of amplitude modulated (AM) atomic force microscopy (AFM), sometimes called AC mode AFM, with frequency modulated (FM) AFM. In AM-FM imaging, the topographic feedback from the first resonant drive frequency operates in AM mode while the phase feedback from second resonant drive frequency operates in FM mode. In particular the first or second frequency may be used to measure the loss tangent, a dimensionless parameter which measures the ratio of energy dissipated to energy stored in a cycle of deformation.

Abstract: Optical microscopy of biological specimens, particularly live cells, is difficult as they generally lack sufficient contrast to be studied successfully as typically the internal structures of the cell are colorless and transparent. Commonly, contrast is increased by staining the different structures with selective dyes, but this involves killing and fixing the sample. Staining may also introduce artifacts, apparent structural details caused by the processing of the specimen and are thus not a legitimate feature of the specimen. Further, microscopy of different elements of these biological specimens typically requires multiple microscopy techniques on multiple specimens. According to embodiments of the invention simultaneous imaging techniques are applied to a biological specimen such as fluorescent imaging and dark field imaging by designing an experimental evaluation system and associated illumination system addressing the conflicting demands of these approaches.