Patent ID: 8291511

Claim:
A method for carrying out scanning probe microscopic or atomic force spectroscopic measurements of a test sample using predetermined parameters, the method comprising the steps of: (a) displacing one or more times a probe relative to a test sample utilizing an adjustment element that displaces the probe relative to the sample to make one or more measurements, (b) obtaining displacement data related to the displacement of the adjustment element for each measurement taken in step (a), (c) determining a variation in value of at least one of the predetermined parameters, the variation in value comprising the variation of the displacement data of the adjustment element, (d) analyzing the variation of the displacement data including determining whether or not the variation in displacement data lies within a predetermined range of displacement values, and (e) adjusting the distance between the sample and the probe if the variation in displacement data does not lie within the predetermined range of displacement values such that the displacement of the adjustment element lies within the predetermined range of displacement values during one or more succeeding a measurements.