Albuquerque, N.M. — Actoprobe has been granted U.S. Patent No. 12,072,351 B1 for its Integrated III‑V/Silicon Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) Active Optical Probe. This single III‑V/silicon chip combines a III-V semiconductor laser with a silicon-cantilever AFM probe to deliver co-located AFM, optical imaging, and spectroscopy at the nanoscale. The invention simplifies alignment, hardens the probe for real‑world use, and opens new application spaces in nanometrology and materials, life sciences, and semiconductor R&D.
Beyond core AFM imaging, the patent outlines pathways for tip‑enhanced Raman (TERS/TEF) and biomolecular sensing—including methods for virus detection and DNA/RNA sequencing—by leveraging on‑chip light generation, modulation, and detection at the probe apex. This integration reduces optical bench complexity while bringing spectroscopy directly to the tip sample junction, a combination aimed at speeding discovery in academia and de‑risking deployment for our industry partners.
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