Patent ID: 8555711
Filing Date: 2013-10-15
Classification: G01Q

Abstract:
1. An atomic force microscope which processes a sample, comprising: a cantilever which has a probe tip which is moved relative to a surface of the sample; a controller, controlling said cantilever to move, using a feedback loop to control a distance between the probe tip of the cantilever of the atomic force microscope and said surface, to maintain the probe tip of the cantilever in a pre-established relationship with respect to the surface of the sample while scanning the sample by creating relative movement between the probe tip of the cantilever and the sample and measuring values used to control said cantilever; a cantilever exciter including first and second frequency synthesizer parts, creating first and second synthesized frequencies, and summing said first and second synthesized frequencies to create a multiple frequency exciting signal, and coupling said multiple frequency exciting signal for exciting the cantilever; and a reference detection device receiving said synthesized frequencies as a reference signal; said controller measuring cantilever values at said synthesized excitation frequencies; and using said reference detection device and the measured cantilever values to provide information indicative of a surface of the sample.