Patent ID: 8914910

Claim:
An arrangement for calibrating probes comprising a tip, the arrangement comprising at least one calibration lever ( 14 ) having a surface for placement of a tip ( 21 ) of a probe ( 2 ) to be calibrated, at least one probe holder ( 24 ) for holding the probe ( 2 ) to be calibrated, the at least one probe holder having a controllable position in at least a direction (y) transverse to the surface of the calibration lever ( 14 ), a calibration control facility ( 46 ) for controlling said controllable position within a range of position values, and for determining a mechanical property of said probe from a deflection (δ C ) of the tip ( 21 ) of the probe relative to the probe holder as a function of said position and from a second parameter, characterized in that the arrangement further comprises at least one optically based strain sensor ( 12 a ) optically coupled to a source of coherent photon radiation for measuring an amount of strain (ε), the calibration lever being mechanically coupled to the at least one optically based strain sensor for converting a force (F) exerted by said tip at said surface into an amount of strain in the optically based strain sensor, and wherein the second parameter for determining a mechanical property of said probe is the measured amount of strain (ε).