Patent ID: 6128073
Filing Date: 2000-10-03
Classification: B82Y,G01N,G01Q

Abstract:
A device for examining the smoothness of a sample, comprisinga scattered-light instrument for scanning a surface of a sample with a focused laser beam and for detecting scattered light which is reflected during the scanning of the surface;an evacuable sample chamber, in which the sample is placed on a sample holder and said chamber having a transparent window through which the focused laser beam passes before it strikes the surface of the sample; andin said evacuable sample chamber, an instrument for microscopic examination of prominently light-scattering regions of the surface after these regions have been identified using the scattered-light instrument; andwherein said instrument for microscopic examination of the sample is selected from the group consisting of STMs (Scanning Tunneling Microscopes), SNOMs (Scanning Near Field Optical Microscopes), NOMs (Near Field Optical Microscopes) and TCAFMs (Threshold Current AFMs) and the combinations of said examination instruments.