Abstract: An optical transformer includes: an optomechanical member configured: to receive incident light; and to produce primary light from the incident light including an initial propagation that includes a nonlinear scan; and a lens configured: to receive the primary light from the optomechanical member; to linearize the nonlinear scan; and to produce secondary light including a final propagation that comprises a linear scan, such that the optical transformer is configured to transform the nonlinear scan of the primary light to the linear scan of the secondary light.

Abstract: An optical transformer includes: an optomechanical member configured: to receive incident light; and to produce primary light from the incident light including an initial propagation that includes a nonlinear scan; and a lens configured: to receive the primary light from the optomechanical member; to linearize the nonlinear scan; and to produce secondary light including a final propagation that comprises a linear scan, such that the optical transformer is configured to transform the nonlinear scan of the primary light to the linear scan of the secondary light.

Abstract: A microcantilever used in Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) includes an elongated cantilevered body with a probe tip placed preferably near its free end and preferably along the cantilever's axis. Some embodiments of the present invention integrate into the microcantilever body an embedded or etched paddle that rotates rigidly about an axis parallel to that of the cantilever with hinges that connect the paddle to the cantilever body. In one embodiment the resonance frequency of this paddle resonator is higher than the fundamental resonance of the microcantilever so that the paddle rotation is proportional to the vertical microcantilever acceleration at the hinge location. The motion of the paddle can be detected using radiation irradiating the paddle; the reflected beam is centered onto a four quadrant photodiode as commonly found in AFM.