Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A scanning probe microscope comprising a scanning probe tip and an electrostatic surface actuator operatively coupled to the scanning probe tip, wherein;the electrostatic surface actuator includes a movable member that has a first surface and a stationary member that has a second surface;the movable member includes a first plurality of electrodes disposed on the first surface;the stationary member includes a second plurality of electrodes disposed on the second surface;the movable member is resiliently coupled to the stationary member so that the first and second surfaces are disposed in a confronting relationship and so that the movable member is capable of being displaced with respect to the stationary member in a first direction;the first and second electrodes are configured to generate electrostatic forces in response to voltages applied thereto, the electrostatic forces being aligned to displace the movable member in the first direction generally parallel to the first and second surfaces; andthe movable member is mechanically attached to the scanning probe tip such that the scanning probe tip in controllably positioned by displacement of the movable member;wherein the voltage applied to one of said first plurality of electrodes differs from the voltage applied to at least one other of said first plurality of electrodes by a predetermined amount. 2. The microscope of claim 1, wherein the scanning probe tip includes at least one of:an atomic force microscope tip;a magnetic force microscope tip;a scanning tunneling microscope tip; anda scanning field emission tip. 3. A scanning probe microscope comprising a scanning probe tip and an electrostatic surface actuator operatively coupled to the scanning probe tip, wherein;the electrostatic surface actuator includes a movable member that has a first surface and a stationary member that has a second surface;the movable member includes first electrodes disposed on the first surface;the stationary member includes second electrodes disposed on the second surface;the movable member is resiliently coupled to the stationary member so that the first and second surfaces are disposed in a confronting relationship and so that the movable member is capable of being displaced with respect to the stationary member in a first direction;the first and second electrodes are configured to generate electrostatic forces in response to voltages applied thereto, the electrostatic forces being aligned to displace the movable member in the first direction generally parallel to the first and second surfaces;the movable member is mechanically attached to the scanning probe tip such that the scanning probe tip in controllably positioned by displacement of the movable member;the movable member constitutes a first movable member;the electrostatic surface actuator further includes a second movable member having a third surface;the second movable member further includes a third plurality of electrodes disposed on the third surface;the first movable member has a fourth surface and includes a fourth plurality of electrodes disposed on the fourth surface; andthe third and fourth pluralities of electrodes are configured to generate electrostatic forces in response to voltages applied to the third and fourth plurality of electrodes, the electrostatic forces being aligned to laterally displace the movable member in a second direction generally orthogonal to the first direction and generally parallel to the first and second surfaces. 4. The microscope of claim 3, wherein:the first movable member includes a first plurality of flexures that are attached to the stationary member;the flexures of the first plurality of flexures have a structural property to resiliently yield to movement of the first movable member relative to the stationary member such that the first movable member may be displaced relative to the stationary member in the first direction;the second movable member includes a second plurality of flexures that are attached to the first movable member; andthe flexures of the second plurality of flexures have a structural property to resiliently yield to movement of the second movable member relative to the first movable member such that the second movable member may be displaced relative to the first movable member in the second direction. 5. The microscope of claim 4, wherein the scanning probe tip includes at least one of:an atomic force microscope tip;a magnetic force microscope tip;a scanning tunneling microscope tip; anda scanning field emission tip. 6. The microscope of claim 3, further comprising a piezoelectric actuator, wherein;the piezoelectric actuator is disposed with respect to the electrostatic surface actuator so that the piezoelectric actuator is movable in a third direction, the third direction being generally orthogonal to both the first and second directions. 7. The microscope of claim 6, wherein the scanning probe tip includes at least one of:an atomic force microscope tip;a magnetic force microscope tip;a scanning tunneling microscope tip; anda scanning field emission tip. 8. A scanning probe microscope comprising a scanning probe tip and an electrostatic surface actuator operatively coupled to the scanning probe tip, wherein:the electrostatic surface actuator includes a movable member that has a first surface and a stationary member that has a second surface;the movable member includes first electrodes disposed on the first surface;the stationary member includes second electrodes disposed on the second surface;the movable member is resiliently coupled to the stationary member so that the first and second surfaces are disposed in a confronting relationship and so that the movable member is capable of being displaced with respect to the stationary member in a first direction;the first and second electrodes are configured to generate electrostatic forces in response to voltages applied thereto, the electrostatic forces being aligned to displace the movable member in the first direction generally parallel to the first and second surfaces; andthe movable member is mechanically attached to the scanning probe tip such that the scanning probe tip in controllably positioned by displacement of the movable member;further comprising a two-dimensional actuator, wherein:the two-dimensionally actuator is capable of displacing a mounting stage in each of a second direction and a third direction;the second and third directions are generally orthogonal; andthe electrostatic surface actuator is mounted on the mounting stage so that the first direction is defined normal to a plane of the second and third directions. 9. The microscope of claim 8, wherein the two-dimensional actuator is one of a two-dimensional piezoelectric actuator and a two-dimensional electrostatic surface actuator. 10. The microscope of claim 8, wherein:the scanning probe tip includes a cantilever, andthe cantilever is inclined with respect to the plane of the second and third directions by an offset angle sufficient to ensure that a clearance is maintained between the electrostatic surface actuator and a sample to be measured. 11. The microscope of claim 10, wherein the offset angle is greater than 0 degrees and less than or equal to 10 degrees. 12. A scanning probe microscope comprising a scanning probe tip and an electrostatic surface actuator operatively coupled to the scanning probe tip, wherein:the electrostatic surface actuator includes a movable member that has a first surface and a stationary member that has a second surface;the movable member includes first electrodes disposed on the first surface;the stationary member includes second electrodes disposed on the second surface;the movable member is resiliently coupled to the stationary member so that the first and second surfaces are disposed in a confronting relationship and so that the movable member is capable of being displaced with respect to the stationary member in a first direction;the first and second electrodes are configured to generate electrostatic forces in response to voltages applied thereto, the electrostatic forces being aligned to displace the movable member in the first direction generally parallel to the first and second surfaces; andthe movable member is mechanically attached to the scanning probe tip such that the scanning probe tip in controllably positioned by displacement of the movable member; andwherein the first electrodes are positioned on the first surface of the movable member such that a repeat distance associated with the first electrodes divided by a gap distance between the first electrodes and the second electrodes is less than approximately sixteen. 13. A scanning probe microscope comprising a scanning probe tip and an electrostatic surface actuator operatively coupled to the scanning probe tip, wherein;the electrostatic surface actuator includes a movable member that has a first surface and a stationary member that has a second surface;the movable member includes first electrodes disposed on the first surface;the stationary member includes second electrodes disposed on the second surface;the movable member is resiliently coupled to the stationary member so that the first and second surfaces are disposed in a confronting relationship and so that the movable member is capable of being displaced with respect to the stationary member in a first direction;the first and second electrodes are configured to generate electrostatic forces in response to voltages applied thereto, the electrostatic forces being aligned to displace the movable member in the first direction generally parallel to the first and second surfaces; andthe movable member is mechanically attached to the scanning probe tip such that the scanning probe tip in controllably positioned by displacement of the movable member; andwherein:the electrodes of the first electrodes are thin strips of conductive material that are positioned substantially in parallel with each other on the first surface;the electrodes of the second electrodes are thin strips of conductive material that are positioned substantially in parallel with each other on the second surface anda first electrode of the first electrodes is positioned substantially in parallel with a first electrode of the second electrodes. 14. A scanning probe microscope comprising a scanning probe tip and an electrostatic surface actuator operatively coupled to the scanning probe tip, wherein;the electrostatic surface actuator includes a movable member that has a first surface and a stationary member that has a second surface;the movable member includes first electrodes disposed on the first surface;the stationary member includes second electrodes disposed on the second surface;the movable member is resiliently coupled to the stationary member so that the first and second surfaces are disposed in a confronting relationship and so that the movable member is capable of being displaced with respect to the stationary member in a first direction;the first and second electrodes are configured to generate electrostatic forces in response to voltages applied thereto, the electrostatic forces being aligned to displace the movable member in the first direction generally parallel to the first and second surfaces; andthe movable member is mechanically attached to the scanning probe tip such that the scanning probe tip in controllably positioned by displacement of the movable member; andfurther comprising a voltage controller, wherein:the voltage controller is electrically coupled to the second electrodesthe voltage controller is capable of selectively providing voltages to the second electrodes that vary along the second electrodes such that predetermined voltage patterns are established; andthe predetermined voltage patterns define the electrostatic forces between the movable member and the stationary member. 15. The microscope of claim 14, further comprising a voltage source, wherein:the voltage source is electrically coupled to the first electrodes; andthe voltage source is configured to apply a repeating spatially alternating voltage pattern to the first electrodes. 16. A scanning probe microscope comprising a scanning probe tip and an electrostatic surface actuator operatively coupled to the scanning probe tip, wherein;the electrostatic surface actuator includes a movable member that has a first surface and a stationary member that has a second surface;the movable member includes first electrodes disposed on the first surface;the stationary member includes second electrodes disposed on the second surface;the movable member is resiliently coupled to the stationary member so that the first and second surfaces are disposed in a confronting relationship and so that the movable member is capable of being displaced with respect to the stationary member in a first direction;the first and second electrodes are configured to generate electrostatic forces in response to voltages applied thereto, the electrostatic forces being aligned to displace the movable member in the first direction generally parallel to the first and second surfaces; andthe movable member is mechanically attached to the scanning probe tip such that the scanning probe tip in controllably positioned by displacement of the movable member;further comprising a voltage source, wherein:the voltage source is electrically coupled to the first electrodes; andthe voltage source is configured to apply a repeating spatially alternating voltage pattern to the first electrodes. 17. The microscope of claim 1, wherein:the movable member includes a plurality of flexures that are attached to the stationary memory; andthe flexures have a structural property to yield to movement of the movable member such that the movable member may be displaced in the first direction. 18. A scanning probe microscope comprising a scanning probe tip and an electrostatic surface actuator operatively coupled to the scanning probe tip, wherein;the electrostatic surface actuator includes a movable member that has a first surface and a stationary member that has a second surface;the movable member includes first electrodes disposed on the first surface;the stationary member includes second electrodes disposed on the second surface;the movable member is resiliently coupled to the stationary member so that the first and second surfaces are disposed in a confronting relationship and so that the movable member is capable of being displaced with respect to the stationary member in a first direction;the first and second electrodes are configured to generate electrostatic forces in response to voltages applied thereto, the electrostatic forces being aligned to displace the movable member in the first direction generally parallel to the first and second surfaces; andthe movable member is mechanically attached to the scanning probe tip such that the scanning probe tip in controllably positioned by displacement of the movable member;further comprising dielectric fluid disposed between the first and second surfaces. 19. A scanning probe microscope comprising a scanning probe tip and an electrostatic surface actuator operatively coupled to the scanning probe tip, wherein;the electrostatic surface actuator includes a movable member that has a first surface and a stationary member that has a second surface;the movable member includes first electrodes disposed on the first surface;the stationary member includes second electrodes disposed on the second surface;the movable member is resiliently coupled to the stationary member so that the first and second surfaces are disposed in a confronting relationship and so that the movable member is capable of being displaced with respect to the stationary member in a first direction;the first and second electrodes are configured to generate electrostatic forces in response to voltages applied thereto, the electrostatic forces being aligned to displace the movable member in the first direction generally parallel to the first and second surfaces; andthe movable member is mechanically attached to the scanning probe tip such that the scanning probe tip in controllably positioned by displacement of the movable member;further comprising:a first hydrophobic dielectric film disposed on the movable member; anda second hydrophobic dielectric film disposed on the stationary memory. 20. A method of scanning a sample using a surface electrostatic actuator, the method comprising:mounting a probe on a movable member of the surface electrostatic actuator having a plurality of electrodes;displacing the movable member relative to a stationary member in a direction generally parallel to the surface of the movable member to scan the probe over the sample by applying voltages to said electrodes, wherein the voltage applied to one of said plurality of electrodes differs from the voltage applied to at least one other of said plurality of electrodes by a predetermined amount;sensing a property of the probe in responsive to the scan of the probe over the sample. 21. The method of claim 20, further comprising displacing the movable member in a second direction generally orthogonal to the first direction and generally parallel to the surface of the movable member. 22. The method of claim 21, further comprising displacing the movable member in a third direction generally orthogonal to both the first and second directions. 23. The method of claim 20, further comprising displacing the electrostatic surface actuator within a plane, wherein a cantilever of the probe tip is inclined with respect to the plane by an offset angle sufficient to ensure that a clearance is maintained between he electrostatic surface actuator and the sample. 24. The method of claim 23, further comprising displacing the movable member in a second direction generally orthogonal to the first direction and generally parallel to the surface of the movable member.