Radiant energy – Inspection of solids or liquids by charged particles – Electron microscope type
Reexamination Certificate
2006-10-31
2006-10-31
Wells, Nikita (Department: 2881)
Radiant energy
Inspection of solids or liquids by charged particles
Electron microscope type
C250S307000
Reexamination Certificate
active
07129486
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to a method for creating the image of a sample surface to be analyzed, with a resolution which is better than 1 μm laterally in relation to the sample surface and better than 100 nm vertically in relation to said surface. According to the invention, the surface is scanned on a point-by-point basis by a scanning probe, the distance between the scanning probe and the sample surface at each scanning point being periodically modulated, in such a way that a force-time curve of the probe is produced for this point. The force-time curve is recorded at each scanning point, digitized using an A/D converter, evaluated online in real-time and stored, together with the entire data stream, in a first area of a memory device. One or several characteristic variables of the force-time curves are determined for each scanning point from the real-time evaluation results and the stored digitized force-time curves and an image of the sample surface is obtained from said characteristic variables of the scanning points.
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Förstner Jörg
Koenen Joachim
Marti Othmar
Sanchen Detlef
Spizig Peter
Baker & Daniels
Quash Anthony
Wells Nikita
Witec Wissenschaftliche Instrumente und Technologie GmbH
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