A high-resolution, self-sensing and self-actuated probe for micro- and nano-coordinate metrology and scanning force microscopy

This paper presents a sensor head for micro- and nano-coordinate metrology and scanning force microscopy (SFM) which has an ultrasonic vibration sensor working in a longitudinal oscillation mode. In this head several important aspects are involved. One is the structure of the stylus sensor which is based on unequal, vibrating masses, with an exchangeable stylus part. Another is the combination of the stylus and the microscope objective. For metrological reasons the longitudinal axis of the stylus and the optical axis of the objective are co-linear. This structure of the sensor head allows the measurement of the target area with the stylus after finding it using the optical microscope. The detailed structure and several results, for instance, step height measurements, are presented.