Patent US2037340A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5333495A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5333495A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for processing a minute portion of a specimen
Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
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Filing: 1993-03-11
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Granted: 1994-08-02
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Expires: 2013-03-11
Abstract
Abstract A method for detecting a photoacoustic signal includes the steps of modulating the intensity of light obtained from a light source at a predetermined modulation frequency, exciting a specimen by directing the intensity-modulated light onto the specimen, thereby generating a photoacoustic effect in the specimen, detecting the photoacoustic effect generated in the specimen and producing a detection signal indicative of the detected photoacoustic effect, and extracting information about the surface and interior of the specimen from the detection signal, wherein the intensity-modulated light is emitted from an aperture of a near-field optical scanning microscope used in directing the intensity-modulated light onto the specimen while a distance between the aperture of the near-field optical scanning microscope and the surface of the specimen is maintained constant irrespective of the photoacoustic effect generated in the specimen.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroshi Yamaguchi
- 👤 Minori Noguchi
- 👤 Makiko Kohno
- 👤 Toshihiko Nakata
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 22:40
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01Q; G01Q30/00; G01Q30/02; B; B82; B82Y; B82Y20/00; B82Y35/00; G01Q60/00; G01Q60/18; G01Q60/22; H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/26; H01J37/28; G01N; G01N25/00; G01N25/18; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S977/00; Y10S977/84; Y10S977/849; Y10S977/855; Y10S977/859; Y10S977/86; Y10S977/861; Y10S977/862; Y10S977/875; Y10S977/879
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
133 words
A method for detecting a photoacoustic signal comprising the steps of: modulating the intensity of light obtained from a light source at a predetermined modulation frequency; exciting a specimen by directing said intensity-modulated light onto the specimen, thereby generating a photoacoustic effect in the specimen; detecting the photoacoustic effect generated in the specimen and producing a detection signal indicative of the detected photoacoustic effect; and extracting information about the surface and interior of the specimen from said detection signal; wherein the intensity-modulated light is emitted from an aperture of a near-field optical scanning microscope used in directing said intensity-modulated light onto the specimen while a distance between the aperture of the near-field optical scanning microscope and the surface of the specimen in maintained constant irrespective of the photoacoustic effect generated in the specimen.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
133 words
A method for detecting a photoacoustic signal comprising the steps of: modulating the intensity of light obtained from a light source at a predetermined modulation frequency; exciting a specimen by directing said intensity-modulated light onto the specimen, thereby generating a photoacoustic effect in the specimen; detecting the photoacoustic effect generated in the specimen and producing a detection signal indicative of the detected photoacoustic effect; and extracting information about the surface and interior of the specimen from said detection signal; wherein the intensity-modulated light is emitted from an aperture of a near-field optical scanning microscope used in directing said intensity-modulated light onto the specimen while a distance between the aperture of the near-field optical scanning microscope and the surface of the specimen in maintained constant irrespective of the photoacoustic effect generated in the specimen.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method for detecting a photoacoustic signal according to claim 1, wherein a scanning tunneling microscope is used in detecting the photoacoustic effect.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method for detecting a photoacoustic signal according to claim 1, wherein light reflected from the specimen surface of light transmitted through the specimen is detected by a near-field optical scanning microscope, and the detected light is used in detecting the photoacoustic effect.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method for detecting a photoacoustic signal according to claim 1, wherein an interferometer which includes a near-field optical scanning microscope is used in detecting the photoacoustic effect.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
152 words
An apparatus for detecting a photoacoustic signal comprising: a light source; modulation means for modulating the intensity of light from said light source at a predetermined modulation frequency; exciting means for exciting a specimen by directing said intensity-modulated light onto the specimen, thereby generating a photoacoustic effect in the specimen; detection means for detecting the photoacoustic effect generated in the specimen and producing a detection signal indicative of the detected photoacoustic effect; and information extracting means for extracting information about the surface and interior of the specimen from the detection signal produced by said detection means; wherein said exciting means includes a near-field optical scanning microscope, and wherein the intensity-modulated light is emitted from an aperture of the near-field optical scanning microscope while a distance between the aperture of the near-field optical scanning microscope and the surface of the specimen is maintained constant irrespective of the photoacoustic effect generated in the specimen.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
152 words
An apparatus for detecting a photoacoustic signal comprising: a light source; modulation means for modulating the intensity of light from said light source at a predetermined modulation frequency; exciting means for exciting a specimen by directing said intensity-modulated light onto the specimen, thereby generating a photoacoustic effect in the specimen; detection means for detecting the photoacoustic effect generated in the specimen and producing a detection signal indicative of the detected photoacoustic effect; and information extracting means for extracting information about the surface and interior of the specimen from the detection signal produced by said detection means; wherein said exciting means includes a near-field optical scanning microscope, and wherein the intensity-modulated light is emitted from an aperture of the near-field optical scanning microscope while a distance between the aperture of the near-field optical scanning microscope and the surface of the specimen is maintained constant irrespective of the photoacoustic effect generated in the specimen.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus for detecting a photoacoustic signal according to claim 5, wherein said detection means includes a scanning tunneling microscope.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
An apparatus for detecting a photoacoustic signal according to claim 5, wherein light reflected from the specimen surface or light transmitted through the specimen is detected by a near-field optical scanning microscope, and the detected light is used by said detection means in detecting the photoacoustic effect.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus for detecting a photoacoustic signal according to claim 5, wherein said detection means is an interferometer which includes a near-field optical scanning microscope.
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