Modular scanning probe microscope head

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11474127-B2
Application number	US-202117313743-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 6, 2021
Priority date	May 8, 2020
Publication date	Oct 18, 2022
Grant date	Oct 18, 2022

Abstract

An apparatus, including: a scanning probe microscope head with a frame configured to fit within an insert of a cryostat, and a scanner, a probe and a sample holder all disposed within the frame; and a coarse motor assembly disposed within the frame and comprising: a positionable component; and coarse motors. The coarse motors are configured to move the positionable component relative to the frame along an X axis, a Y axis, and a Z axis. The apparatus further includes a universal electrical base connection with half of a plug/socket arrangement. The plug/socket arrangement is configured to provide electrical communication between the scanning probe microscope head and a base which has a second half of the plug/socket arrangement when the scanning probe microscope head is lowered onto the base.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a scanning probe microscope head comprising a frame configured to fit within an insert of a cryostat, and a probe, a scanner, and a sample holder all disposed within the frame;
a coarse motor assembly disposed within the frame and comprising:
a positionable component; and
coarse motors, wherein the coarse motors comprise:
a first motor operatively associated with the frame and configured to move the positionable component along a first axis relative to the frame; and
at least one further motor nested inside the first motor and configured to move the positionable component along a second axis and along a third axis relative to the frame, wherein movement along the first axis effected by the first motor moves the at least one further motor nested therein along the first axis; and

a universal electrical base connection comprising half of a plug/socket arrangement, wherein the plug/socket arrangement is configured to provide electrical communication between the scanning probe microscope head and a base which comprises a second half of the plug/socket arrangement when the scanning probe microscope head is lowered onto the base.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a top plate disposed atop the frame and configured to cooperate with hooks of a tool configured to transport the scanning probe microscope head.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises a recess configured to receive a robotic arm fork.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a flag handle configured to cooperate with a wobble stick.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one further motor comprises a combined second/third motor configured to move the positionable component in a plane defined by the second axis and the third axis.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising an adjustable mount configured to secure the coarse motor assembly to the frame.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one further motor comprises:
a third motor secured to the positionable component and configured to move the positionable component along the third axis; and
a second motor functionally between the first motor and the third motor and configured to move the third motor along the second axis.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plug/socket arrangement comprises a plurality of female receptacles disposed in a pattern on a bottom of the scanning probe microscope head, each female receptacle of the plurality of female receptacles being configured to receive a respective male pin of a plurality of male pins disposed in the pattern on a top of the base.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein at least one female socket of the plurality of female sockets further comprises a respective spring contact.

10. An apparatus, comprising:
a scanning probe microscope head comprising a frame configured to fit within an insert of a cryostat, and a probe, a scanner, and a sample holder all disposed within the frame; and
a universal electrical base connection comprising half of a plug/socket arrangement, wherein the plug/socket arrangement is configured to provide electrical communication between the scanning probe microscope head and a base which comprises a second half of the plug/socket arrangement when the scanning probe microscope head is lowered onto the base.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the plug/socket arrangement comprises a plurality of female sockets disposed in a pattern on a bottom of the scanning probe microscope head, each female socket of the plurality of female sockets being configured to receive a respective male pin of a plurality of male pins disposed in the pattern on a top of the base.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein at least one female socket of the plurality of female sockets further comprises a respective spring contact.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising coarse motor assembly disposed within the frame and configured to move a positionable component relative to the frame along an X axis, a Y axis, and a Z axis.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the coarse motor assembly comprises: a first motor operatively associated with the frame and configured to move the positionable component along a first axis relative to the frame; and at least one further motor nested inside the first motor and configured to move the positionable component along a second axis and along a third axis relative to the frame, wherein movement along the first axis effected by the first motor moves the at least one further motor nested therein along the first axis.

15. An apparatus, comprising:
a scanning probe microscope coarse motor assembly, comprising:
a positionable component; and
coarse motors configured to be operatively associated with an external component and configured to move the positionable component along an X axis, along a Y axis, and along a Z axis relative to the external component and within the external component;
wherein the external component comprises a frame of a scanning probe microscope configured to fit within an insert of a cryostat.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the coarse motors comprise:
a combined XY motor configured to move the positionable component in a plane defined by the X axis and the Y axis, and
a Z motor configured to move the combined XY motor along the Z axis.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the combined XY motor comprises an XY body secured to the positionable component and an XY piezo stack configured to selectively move the XY body in the plane defined by the X axis and the Y axis.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the Z motor comprises a Z body configured to nest the XY body therein and a Z piezo stack configured to move the Z body along the Z axis.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the Z motor is operatively associated with the external component.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the coarse motors comprise:
a Z motor configured to move the positionable component along the Z axis; and
a Y motor configured to move the Z motor along the Y axis.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the Z motor is secured to the positionable component, wherein the Y motor comprises a Y body secured to the Z motor and a Y piezo stack configured to move the Y body along the Y axis.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the coarse motors comprise:
an X motor configured to move the Z motor along the X axis.

23. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the coarse motors comprise:
an X motor configured to move the Y motor along the X axis.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the Z motor is secured to the positionable component, wherein the Y motor comprises a Y body secured to the Z motor and a Y piezo stack configured to move the Y body along the Y axis, wherein the X motor comprises an X body secured to the Y motor and an X piezo stack configured to move the X body along the X axis.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the X motor is operatively associated with the external component.

26. An apparatus, comprising:
a scanning probe microscope coarse motor assembly, comprising:
a positionable component; and
coarse motors comprising: a first motor operatively associated with an external component and configured to move the positionable component along a first axis relative to the external component and within the external component; an

Assignees

• Univ Rutgers

Inventors

• Coe Angela
• Li Guohong
• Andrei Eva Y

Classifications

• G01Q30/20

  Sample handling devices or methods · CPC title

• G01Q10/02

  Coarse scanning or positioning · CPC title

• G01Q30/10 Primary

  Thermal environment · CPC title

• G01Q70/08 Primary

  Probe characteristics · CPC title