NANOTRIBOLOGICAL PROBE MICROSCOPE

摘要

A scanning probe microscope for measuring the topography, local hardness and frictional force of an object surface has a stage (36) for mounting the object, a probe mounted relative to the stage and a z positioner (30) for moving the probe and the stage (36) relative to one another along a first, z axis and in an x-y plane orthogonal to the first, z axis. The probe has a body and a stylus (12) for contacting the object surface which is resiliently mounted to the body so as to allow movement of the stylus relative to the body along the z axis. An electromagnetic actuator (32) applies a force to the stylus to bias the stylus relative to the body along the z axis towards the stage (36). A capacitative sensor (25) monitors the position and tilt of the stylus (12) relative to the body along the z axis and provides a position signal representative of the stylus position on the z axis. A control circuit includes a feedback circuit connecting the z positioner (30) and the capacitative sensors (25) to control the z positioner (30) to bring the stylus (12) and the probe into a preselected relationship along the z axis in response to initial contact of the stylus with the object surface. By applying force to the stylus along the z axis at various points of contact on the object the surface topography and hardness can be measured. By dragging the stylus across the surface and measuring the tilt of the stylus the friction of the surface can be measured.