Abstract: There is provided an optical displacement detection mechanism in which, even if a measurement object changes, a detection sensitivity and a ratio of a noise are adjustable without depending on optical characteristics such as reflectivity, or a shape and mechanical characteristics of a measurement object, an influence of a thermal deformation of the measurement object by an irradiated light to the measurement object can be made small, and a measurement accuracy can be ensured under optimum conditions.

Abstract: A cell detachment method for detaching only a desired cell from a plurality of cells cultured on a substrate under predetermined culture environment conditions by using a scanning probe microscope having a probe, comprising: observing the plural cells; specifying the cell to be detached; moving the probe onto the specified cell; and pressing the prove against the specified cell with a predetermined force so as to detach the cell from the substrate.

Abstract: A cantilever includes: a lever portion; a holder portion supporting the proximal end of the lever portion; a probe portion arranged at the distal end of the lever portion and having a spherical surface to face a sample; and a retaining portion fixed to the distal end of the lever portion and retaining the probe portion to surround a periphery of the probe portion. There is provided a cantilever allowing mounting of a probe portion with little effect in a short time without using any adhesive.

Abstract: A liquid cell 1 for fixing a sample S in a condition in which the sample S is dipped in a solution W, including a lower mount 2 including a bottom plate 10 having a mounting surface 10a on which the sample is mounted, and a wall section 11 disposed on the bottom plate so as to surround the periphery of the mounted sample and capable of trapping the solution inside the surrounded area, an upper mount 3 including an upper plate 20 abutting on an upper surface of the wall section, and a flange section 21 formed so as to be bent from an outer edge of the upper plate at an angle of substantially 90 degrees, and abutting on an outer peripheral surface of the wall section, the upper mount being capable of fitting to the lower mount from above, and a holding member 4 that abuts on an outer edge of the sample to press the sample against the mounting surface from above when the upper mount fits, wherein, an outer peripheral surface of the wall section and an inner circumferential surface of the flange section are provi

Abstract: The vibration-type cantilever holder for fastening a cantilever opposed to a sample, supported on a main body part at only its base end and having a probe on its leading end. The holder includes: a cantilever-attaching stand on which the main body part is placed and fastened with the cantilever tilted at a predetermined angle with respect to the sample; a first vibration source fastened to the cantilever-attaching stand and vibrating with a phase and an amplitude depending on a predetermined waveform signal; a holder main body to which the first vibration source is fastened; and a second vibration source fastened to at least one location on the holder main body, and generating vibrations to offset vibrations traveling from the first vibration source to the cantilever-attaching stand and holder main body. The holder allows the cantilever to vibrate according to vibrational characteristics of only the cantilever by counteracting additional vibrations.

Abstract: A scanning probe microscope having a cantilever holder is provided which gives a cantilever great amplitude by a small-sized vibrator configurable in a limited space and is stably operated even in environments of high viscous drag such as a liquid. A cantilever base part of a cantilever is fixed to a fixing part of a scanning probe microscopy cantilever holder. A vibrator is mounted on the fixing part. When it is defined that the front side is the side close to a probe and the rear side is the side close to a supporting part of the fixing part along in the longitudinal direction of the cantilever, the vibrator displaces the front and rear sides of the fixing part of the cantilever holder to each other in the opposite directions within the plane orthogonal to the sample surface to vibrate the cantilever in a liquid.

Abstract: To prevent an influence from effecting on an oscillating state of a cantilever by firmly fixing a main body portion, there is provided a cantilever holder for attachably and detachably fixing a cantilever which is provided with a stylus at a front end thereof and a base end side of which is supported by a main body portion in a single-supported state, the cantilever holder including a base member having a mounting portion for mounting the main body portion in a state of being positioned at a predetermined position, a holding member made to be able to be brought into contact with at least a surface of the main body portion in a state of mounting the main body portion on the mounting portion and extended in a direction substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal direction (axis line A direction) of the cantilever, and pressing means for pressing both ends of the holding member to the base member by a predetermined pressure, fixing the main body portion to the mounting portion by way of the holding member and cap

Abstract: In order to provide a scanning probe microscope and a scanning method which are capable of accurately approaching or contacting a probe needle and a sample surface irrespective of an irregularities shape of the sample surface, it comprises a probe needle 2 for relatively performing, with respect to a sample surface S, scans in two directions parallel to the sample surface S and a movement in a perpendicular direction of the sample surface S, a detection means 4 for detecting a measurement amount changing in compliance with a distance between the probe needle 2 and the sample surface S, an observation means 6 for gathering an observation data in a point of time at which the probe needle 2 has approached to or contacted with the sample surface S, a control means 5 for controlling the sans in the two directions and the movement in the perpendicular direction and an approach/separation drive section 24 for causing the probe needle 2 to relatively approach to and separate from the sample surface S at a predetermin

Abstract: A scanning probe microscope has a scanner and a mounting unit for supporting the scanner. An identifying mark is disposed on a part of the scanner for representing preselected information corresponding to the scanner. The mounting unit has an interpreting device for interpreting the preselected information represented by the identifying mark. A setting device sets in a controller, for controlling the scanning probe microscope, parameter information corresponding to the scanner probe microscope, parameter information corresponding interpreted by the interpreting device.

Abstract: A scanning probe microscope having a cantilever holder is provided which gives a cantilever great amplitude by a small-sized vibrator configurable in a limited space and is stably operated even in environments of high viscous drag such as a liquid. A cantilever base part of a cantilever is fixed to a fixing part of a scanning probe microscopy cantilever holder. A vibrator is mounted on the fixing part. When it is defined that the front side is the side close to a probe and the rear side is the side close to a supporting part of the fixing part along in the longitudinal direction of the cantilever, the vibrator displaces the front and rear sides of the fixing part of the cantilever holder to each other in the opposite directions within the plane orthogonal to the sample surface to vibrate the cantilever in a liquid.

Abstract: A micro-protruding structure which has a high positional precision and an angular (directional) precision, which is made of a linear material having a large aspect ratio, and which is provided for an analyzer, a display device, a machining device, a measuring device and an observation device. The micro-protruding structure is fabricated by growing a linear material of a carbon nano-tube from the bottom of the hole structure perforated by a focused ion beam. This permits a direction from the bottom of the hole structure to the opening to become nearly in alignment with the direction of the linear material that protrudes from the hole structure.

Abstract: To provide an SPM having a function of automatically setting the parameter information specific to a scanner in a controller, when replacing a scanner with the scanner, without requiring the manual operation of the operator. The scanning probe microscope includes means for representing information on a scanner in a part of the scanner, and means for interpreting the information and means for setting, in the controller, parameter information specific to the scanner of interest based on the interpreted information on the main body side on which the scanner is mounted.

Abstract: A probe is shifted at a distance where the probe and a material to be obsed are sufficiently far away from each other relative to the roughness of the material's surface. This method prevents the probe from colliding with the material's surface during the shift of the probe thereby enabling high speed shift of the probe. Further, a micro-drive mechanism for controlling tunnel currents may be stopped during the shift in order to minimize the drift which may be caused by heat generated inside the micro-drive mechanism. Therefore, it is particularly advantageous to apply this STM measuring method for high-speed and stable measurement of a very large surface area and a very rough surface.