Abstract: Techniques for operating an atomic force microscope, the atomic force microscope comprising a cantilever and configured to image a surface of a sample using a probe tip coupled to the cantilever, the techniques comprising using a controller to perform: obtaining, based on at least one intrinsic parameter of the cantilever, a first quality factor and a first free oscillation amplitude, wherein the cantilever exhibits only one stable oscillation state when oscillating at the first free oscillation amplitude and operating at the first quality factor; and controlling the cantilever to exhibit the only one stable oscillation state by controlling the cantilever to oscillate at a fixed frequency at or near a resonance frequency of the cantilever, oscillate at the first free oscillation amplitude, and operate at the first quality factor.

Abstract: Techniques for operating an atomic force microscope, the atomic force microscope comprising a cantilever and configured to image a surface of a sample using a probe tip coupled to the cantilever, the techniques comprising using a controller to perform: obtaining, based on at least one intrinsic parameter of the cantilever, a first quality factor and a first free oscillation amplitude, wherein the cantilever exhibits only one stable oscillation state when oscillating at the first free oscillation amplitude and operating at the first quality factor; and controlling the cantilever to exhibit the only one stable oscillation state by controlling the cantilever to oscillate at a fixed frequency at or near a resonance frequency of the cantilever, oscillate at the first free oscillation amplitude, and operate at the first quality factor.

Abstract: Liquid cell crystal, with fine structures made up of regions having defined different orientation and dimensions of the order of 0.1 to about 100 &mgr;m can be used as optical conductors and projection displays. The fine structures in the liquid crystals are produced in that the plates bounding and guiding the liquid crystal are provided with micromechanically produced regions having different defined preferred directions. The result is a molecular orientation having a higher refractive index that the surrounding region for guiding and polarizing irradiated light. The orienting layers on the plates bounding the liquid crystal are micromechanically structured in that certain spatial regions are mechanically structured in a uniform direction by a stylus moved by piezoelectric means.