Method and apparatus of manipulating a sample
View Patent ↗A method and apparatus for manipulating the surface of a sample including a cantilever, a first tip mounted on the cantilever, and a second tip mounted on the cantilever, the first and the second tip being configured to combine to form an imaging probe and to separate to form a manipulation probe. The first and second tips are configured to form a first position characterized in that the tips combine to form an imaging tip and the first and the second tip are configured to form a second position characterized in that the tips separate to manipulate particles on a surface of a sample. The tips can be configured to form the first position when a voltage is applied across the tips, and preferable extend downwardly from the cantilever substantially perpendicular thereto.
1. A method for interacting with a surface of a sample comprising:
scanning the surface of the sample with a probe;
removing the probe from the surface of the sample;
turning off a feedback of the probe;
storing a change in deflection between a deflection setpoint and a free air deflection; and
turning on the feedback of the probe.
2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising manipulating the surface with the probe.
3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising switching between amplitude mode and contact mode by:
turning off the feedback of the probe;
setting a deflection setpoint based on a free air deflection combined with the change in deflection; and
turning on the feedback of the probe.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the probe comprises:
a cantilever;
a first tip mounted on the cantilever; and
a second tip mounted on the cantilever, the first and the second tips being configured to combine to form an imaging tip.
5. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising applying a voltage across the first tip and the second tip to combine the first tip and the second tip to form an imaging tip.
6. A method for interacting with a surface of a sample comprising:
scanning the surface of the sample with a probe;
removing the probe from the surface of the sample;
turning off a feedback of the probe;
storing a change in amplitude between an amplitude setpoint and a free air amplitude; and
turning on the feedback of the probe.
7. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising switching between contact mode and amplitude mode by:
turning off the feedback of the probe;
setting an amplitude setpoint based on a free air amplitude combined with a change in amplitude;
changing the input to the feedback from deflection to amplitude; and
turning on the feedback of the probe.
8. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising manipulating the surface with the probe.
9. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the probe comprises:
a cantilever;
a first tip mounted on the cantilever; and
a second tip mounted on the cantilever, the first and the second tips being configured to combine to form an imaging tip.
10. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising applying a voltage across the first tip and the second tip to combine the first tip and the second tip to form an imaging tip.
11. The method for interacting with a surface of a sample according to claim 6 , wherein the scanning the surface of the sample step includes a) scanning the sample to create a first image and b) scanning the sample to create a second image, the method further comprising:
determining a relative position of the probe by comparing the first image to the second image; and
manipulating the surface of the sample with the probe.
12. A method for interacting with a surface of a sample comprising:
scanning the surface of the sample with a probe operating at a first deflection setpoint;
removing the probe from the surface of the sample;
turning off a feedback used to maintain probe operation at the first deflection setpoint; and
storing a change in deflection between the first deflection setpoint and a first free air deflection.
13. A method for interacting with a surface of a sample, comprising:
scanning the surface of the sample with a probe to create a first image;
scanning the surface of the sample with a probe to create a second image;
determining a relative position of the probe by comparing the first image to the second image; and
manipulating the surface of the sample with the probe.
14. The method for interacting with a surface of a sample according to claim 13 , further comprising adjusting a position of the probe based on a result obtained from a determining step.
15. The method for interacting with a surface of a sample according to claim 13 , wherein the probe comprises:
a cantilever;
a first tip mounted on the cantilever; and
a second tip mounted on the cantilever, the first and the second tips being configured to combine to form an imaging tip.
16. The method for interacting with a surface of a sample according to claim 15 , further comprising applying a voltage across the first tip and the second tip to combine the first tip and the second tip to form an imaging tip.