Patent ID: 7854015

Claim:
A scanning probe microscope comprising: a probe mount adapted to receive a probe having a tip that moves in response to an interaction between said tip and a local characteristic of a sample, said probe tip being mounted on a first end of a cantilever arm, a second end of said cantilever arm being coupled to said probe mount; a mechanical vibrator that causes said second end of said cantilever arm to vibrate a predetermined frequency in response to a drive signal; an electro-mechanical actuator that changes the distance between the sample and said second end of said cantilever arm; a probe position signal generator that generates a position signal indicative of a position of said probe tip relative to said second end of said cantilever arm; and an impulse signal generator that measures a quantity related to an impulse imparted to said probe tip by said interaction between said tip and said local characteristics of said sample.