Print Email Facebook Twitter Method for determining a spring constant for a deformable scanning probe microscope element, and scanning probe microscope and calibration device arranged for determining a spring constant for a probe element Title Method for determining a spring constant for a deformable scanning probe microscope element, and scanning probe microscope and calibration device arranged for determining a spring constant for a probe element Author Sadeghian, H. Yang, C.K. Bossche, A. French, P.J. Goosen, J.F.L. Van Keulen, A. Faculty Delft University of Technology Date 2012-05-18 Abstract A method for determining a spring constant k for a deformable probe element (102) of a scanning probe microscope SPM (100). The probe (102) has an outer surface area consisting of a tip area (112) on a first probe side (108) and a tip-less area (113). The probe (102) also has a probe electrode (114) and a scanning probe tip (104) in the tip area (112). The method comprises: providing an actuation electrode (116) that is spatially separated from the probe (102); adjusting a potential difference V applied between the probe electrode (114) and the actuation electrode (116); deflecting the probe (102) into a contacted state of the actuation electrode (116) with only a contact portion of the tip-less probe area (113); measuring an EPI-potential difference Vpi between probe electrode (114) and actuation electrode (116), and deriving the spring constant k, based on the EPI-potential difference Vpi. Furthermore, an SPM (100) and calibration device with this method functionality are provided. To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:be4c363b-edb6-4693-b031-6988b9412496 Publisher European Patent Office Source http://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?CC=WO&NR=2012064193A1&KC=A1&FT=D&ND=4&date=20120518&DB=EPODOC&locale=en_EP Source WO 2012064193 (A1) Part of collection Institutional Repository Document type patent Rights (c) 2012 The Author(s) Files PDF WO2012064193A1.pdf 2.54 MB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:be4c363b-edb6-4693-b031-6988b9412496/datastream/OBJ/view