Abstract: A cleaning station for thoroughly cleaning the AFM component surfaces that are exposed to fluid during imaging of a sample supported in a fluid medium is disclosed. The cleaning station is designed to selectively expose the AFM component surfaces to cleansing agents, such as soap/detergent and water, plasma cleaning, etc., and cleaning tools, such as brushes, while protecting fluid sensitive components from exposure to the cleansing agents. The preferred embodiments are particularly beneficial for scanners in which the fluid sensitive components (actuator, sensor, connector, etc.) are integrated in the same device to which the cantilever holder is attached.

Abstract: A cleaning station for thoroughly cleaning the AFM component surfaces that are exposed to fluid during imaging of a sample supported in a fluid medium is disclosed. The cleaning station is designed to selectively expose the AFM component surfaces to cleansing agents, such as soap/detergent and water, plasma cleaning, etc., and cleaning tools, such as brushes, while protecting fluid sensitive components from exposure to the cleansing agents. The preferred embodiments are particularly beneficial for scanners in which the fluid sensitive components (actuator, sensor, connector, etc.) are integrated in the same device to which the cantilever holder is attached.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided that have the capability of rapidly scanning a large sample of arbitrary characteristics under force control feedback so has to obtain a high resolution image. The method includes generating relative scanning movement between a probe of the SPM and a sample to scan the probe through a scan range of at least 4 microns at a rate of at least 30 lines/sec and controlling probe-sample interaction with a force control slew rate of at least 1 mm/sec. A preferred SPM capable of achieving these results has a force controller having a force control bandwidth of at least closed loop bandwidth of at least 10 kHz.

Abstract: A scanner for probe microscopy that avoids low resonance frequencies and accounts better for piezo nonlinearities. The x, y and z axes of a linear stack scanner are partially decoupled from each other while maintaining all mechanical joints stiff in the direction of actuation. The scanning probe microscope comprises a probe, a housing, at least two actuators, each coupled to the housing, and a support coupled to the housing and to at least a first of the actuators at a position spaced from the point at which the actuator is coupled to the housing. The support constrains the motion of the first actuator along a first axis while permitting translation along a second axis. The actuators are preferably orthogonally arranged linear stacks of flat piezos, preferably in push-pull configuration. The support can take different forms in different embodiments of the invention.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided that have the capability of rapidly scanning a large sample of arbitrary characteristics under force control feedback so has to obtain a high resolution image. The method includes generating relative scanning movement between a probe of the SPM and a sample to scan the probe through a scan range of at least 4 microns at a rate of at least 30 lines/sec and controlling probe-sample interaction with a force control slew rate of at least 1 mm/sec. A preferred SPM capable of achieving these results has a force controller having a force control bandwidth of at least closed loop bandwidth of at least 10 kHz.

Abstract: A scanner for probe microscopy that avoids low resonance frequencies and accounts better for piezo nonlinearities. The x, y and z axes of a linear stack scanner are partially decoupled from each other while maintaining all mechanical joints stiff in the direction of actuation. The scanning probe microscope comprises a probe, a housing, at least two actuators, each coupled to the housing, and a support coupled to the housing and to at least a first of the actuators at a position spaced from the point at which the actuator is coupled to the housing. The support constrains the motion of the first actuator along a first axis while permitting translation along a second axis. The actuators are preferably orthogonally arranged linear stacks of flat piezos, preferably in push-pull configuration. The support can take different forms in different embodiments of the invention.

Abstract: An improvement for atomic force microscopes, more generally for light beam detecting systems, but also in part applicable to scanning probe microscopes, providing significant novel features and advantages. Particular features include using different objective lens regions for incident and reflected light, a flexure that allows three dimensional motion of the optics block, forming the housing and optics block of a composite material or ceramic, arranging the components so that the beam never hits a flat surface at normal incidence, and providing a resonant frequency of cantilever vibration greater than 850 HZ between the cantilever and sample and the cantilever and focusing lens.

Abstract: An improvement for atomic force microscopes, more generally for light beam detecting systems, but also in part applicable to scanning probe microscopes, providing significant novel features and advantages. Particular features include using different objective lens regions for incident and reflected light, a flexure that allows three dimensional motion of the optics block, forming the housing and optics block of a composite material or ceramic, arranging the components so that the beam never hits a flat surface at normal incidence, providing a resonant frequency of cantilever vibration greater than 850 HZ between the cantilever and sample and the cantilever and focusing lens, and focusing the incident beam to a 5 &mgr;m or less spot, preferably to a 3 &mgr;m or less spot.