Probe assembly for a scanning probe microscope

摘要

A probe assembly for use with a scanning probe microscope includes a carrier supporting at least two probes mounted on a tilt stage arranged to tilt the carrier about an axis. The probes may be distributed on one or more surfaces. In use, the tilt stage operates either as a selection device, orienting a selected probe or surface towards a sample, and/or as an alignment tool, adjusting a planar array of probes such that they are better aligned with the sample. This offers the potential for automated exchange of probes, with increased speed and accuracy, during microscope operation.

主权项

1. A probe assembly for use with a scanning probe microscope, the assembly comprising a carrier supporting at least two probes, a scanning mechanism arranged to move the carrier in a predetermined scanning plane and a tilt stage arranged to tilt the carrier about an axis, wherein the carrier, scanning mechanism and tilt stage are arranged such that the tilt stage is not moveable by operation of the scanning mechanism, which is arranged to drive the carrier, wherein the tilt stage is operable to tilt the carrier about the axis such that one of the probes is oriented closer to a predetermined plane than the other, and wherein the carrier comprises multiple flat lower surfaces, each lower surface supporting at least one probe having a respective tip, and wherein the tilt stage is arranged to adjust the orientation of the carrier such that one of the flat lower surfaces is oriented towards the predetermined plane, such orientation being that which locates the tip or tips of the at least one probe on that surface closer to the predetermined plane.