Abstract: An electrode substrate and a recording medium having a smooth surface with surface unevenness of 1 nm or less and a size of 1 &mgr;m/or more are disclosed. An electrode substrate and a recording medium having a concave-shaped groove for tracking on the surface, which groove has a depth which can detect of the tunnel current from the bottom thereof by a probe electrode for scanning the surface are also disclosed. Information processing devices equipped with the smooth recording medium, an electroconductive probe arranged approximate to the recording medium and a pulse voltage application circuit for recording are also disclosed.

Abstract: An electrode substrate and a recording medium having a smooth surface with surface unevenness of 1 nm or less and a size of 1 &mgr;m□ or more are disclosed. An electrode substrate and a recording medium having a concave-shaped groove for tracking on the surface, which groove has a depth which can detect of the tunnel current from the bottom thereof by a probe electrode for scanning the surface are also disclosed. Information processing devices equipped with the smooth recording medium, an electroconductive probe arranged approximate to the recording medium and a pulse voltage application circuit for recording are also disclosed.

Abstract: A microprobe is provided which comprises a single crystal provided on a part of one main surface of a substrate or a part of a thin film formed on one main surface of the substrate. The microprobe may have a single crystal having an apex portion surrounded by facets having a specific plane direction and comprising a specific crystal face. The method for preparing the microprobe and an electronic device employing the microprobe also provided which is useful for recording and reproducing.

Abstract: An encoder includes an electrically conductive reference scale having surface steps formed at predetermined positions; an electrically conductive probe having a tip disposed opposed to the reference scale; wherein the reference scale and the probe are relatively movable in a direction different from the opposing direction of the tip of the probe and the reference scale; a portion for applying an electrical voltage to between the reference scale and the probe; a portion for detecting a change in a tunnel current between the reference scale and the probe, to between which the electric voltage is applied by the voltage applying portion at the time of the relative movement between the scale and the probe, the detecting portion detecting the change in the tunnel current when the probe passes a position opposed to a surface step of the reference scale; and portion for detecting the amount of the relative movement between the scale and probe, on the basis of the detection by the change detecting portion.

Abstract: A recording device, comprising a probe electrode, a recording medium having electric memory effect and a writing voltage applying unit for applying voltage onto the recording medium from the probe electrode, and a reproducing device comprising a probe electrode, a recording medium exhibiting electric memory effect or a recording medium recorded by energy irradiation, a voltage applying unit for applying voltage not exceeding the threshold value voltage giving rise to electric memory effect onto the recording medium from the probe electrode and a reading unit for reading the change in current quantity passing through the recording medium.

Abstract: A method for recording and/or reproducing images includes a step of performing a two dimensional scanning on a recording medium with a probe electrode which relatively returns in the X direction for the main scanning and in the Y direction for sub-scanning. The main scanning of the probe is performed at a frequency which is one positive integerth of the horizontal synchronous frequency of the image signal so as to enable the period required for returning of the probe electrode to be matched with the blanking period of the image signal. Thus, it is possible to avoid any data recording and reproducing operations during the period required for returning of the scanning probe electrode.

Abstract: An encoder includes an electrically conductive reference scale having surface steps formed at predetermined positions; an electrically conductive probe having a tip disposed opposed to the reference scale; wherein the reference scale and the probe are relatively movable in a direction different from the opposing direction of the tip of the probe and the reference scale; a portion for applying an electrical voltage to between the reference scale and the probe; a portion for detecting a change in a tunnel current between the reference scale and the probe, to between which the electric voltage is applied by the voltage applying portion at the time of the relative movement between the scale and the probe, the detecting portion detecting the change in the tunnel current when the probe passes a position opposed to a surface step of the reference scale; and portion for detecting the amount of the relative movement between the scale and probe, on the basis of the detection by the change detecting portion.

Abstract: A microprobe is provided which comprises a single crystal provided on a part of one main surface of a substrate or a part of a thin film formed on one main surface of the substrate. The microprobe may have a single crystal having an apex portion surrounded by facets having a specific plane direction and comprising a specific crystal face. The method for preparing the microprobe and an electronic device employing the microprobe also provided which is useful for recording and reproducing.

Abstract: In an information processing apparatus which records and reproduces information by rotating a cylindrical recording medium on the basis of the principles of a scanning type tunnel microscope, the speed of the probe relative to that of the recording medium becomes fixed, and resonance and a decrease in an S/N ratio of reproduced signals during high-speed scanning can be prevented. Thus, information processing at a large capacity and high-speed response with a high degree of accuracy is made possible. An information processing system that records and reproduces information on the basis of the principles of a scanning type tunneling or an atomic force microscope employs a ferroelectric layer in the recording medium to simplify and improve reproduction. The recording medium may include a rotating cylindrical medium wherein the speed of the probe is fixed relative to that of the cylindrical medium to prevent resonance and to decrease the signal-to-noise ratio of reproduced signals during high speed scanning.

Abstract: A compact information processing apparatus does not require any coarse mobile mechanism. In the information processing apparatus, a probe can be brought close to a medium to read information from the medium and to write it onto the medium. The information processing apparatus includes a device for applying a voltage between the probe 31 and the medium 31, and a device for generating a progressive wave in the in-plane direction of the medium to displace the medium.

Abstract: A recording-reproducing apparatus includes an electrode, a material that changes its intramolecular electron distribution upon the application of electromagnetic wave irradiation and an electric field provided on the electrode, and an electrically conductive probe having a pointed tip. The apparatus projects an electromagnetic wave onto the material, and applies a pulse voltage between the electrode and the conductive probe.

Abstract: An MIM type electric element has an upper electrode, a lower electrode, and a barrier layer held therebetween and composed of an insulator or a semiconductor. The lower electrode contains a noble metal crystal having a facet of a plate-shaped crystal formed on a substrate. The facet has a plane given by the crystal face (111) and contains a region having a plane orientation variance angle of not more than 1.degree. by X-ray diffraction.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes first, second and third upper electrodes provided on a first substrate, and first, second and third lower electrodes provided on a second substrate opposed to the first, second and third upper electrodes, respectively. Also provided are first, second and third detectors for detecting a first capacitance between the first upper and lower electrodes, a second capacitance between the second upper and lower electrodes and a third capacitance between the third upper and lower electrodes.

Abstract: A method for detecting a slope of a surface of an information record medium in an apparatus for detecting/writing information using one or a plurality of probes from/in the information record medium. The surface of the information record medium is scanned using the probe. The information from the surface of the information record medium is detected through the probe when the scanning is executed, and the slope of the surface of the information record medium is detected on the basis of the detected information.

Abstract: A displacement element including a substrate having electrodes and a cantilever provided on the substrate, wherein the cantilever is formed from a semiconductor material and has at least two electrostatic driving electrodes formed by diffusing an impurity into a semiconductor material.

Abstract: A memory apparatus for effecting the writing or reading of information on a recording medium by a probe has a base having the probe attached thereto, a substrate supporting the recording medium thereon and movable relative to the base, and a frame containing the base and the substrate therein, and the coefficients of linear expansion of the base and the substrate are made approximate to each other since the coefficients of linear expansion of the base and the substrate are approximate to each other, any relative positional deviation between the probe and the recording medium will not occur even if temperature changes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recording information on an information recording medium and/or reproducing information from the recording medium. Probes for recording and/or reproducing information and a support for supporting the probes are arranged so that the probes are positioned to face the information recording medium. The support and the information recording medium are relatively moved by sliding on sliding surfaces thereof. The distance between the support and the recording medium is roughly set by projections formed between the support and the recording medium, and is finely adjusted during operation by a mechanism for moving the probes.

Abstract: A probe for reading an information from an object and/or inputting an information to an object is disclosed. The probe has a supporting member and a rod-shaped projection of which the end is positioned opposed to the object for information reading therefrom and/or information input thereto. The rod-shaped projection protrudes from a partial area of the supporting member. The information reading from the object and/or information input to the object is effected at the longitudinal end of the probe. The probe provides precise and accurate output and/or input of information regardless of the surface state of the object.

Abstract: A recording medium includes a substrate electrode, a recording layer constituted of a monomolecular film of an organic compound or a built-up film thereof, and a photoconductive thin film, laminated in this order on a substrate. The photoconductive thin film may preferably be divided to a plurality of isolated sectors. The recording medium is used in an ultra high density information processing apparatus with a probe electrode disposed close to the medium, a power source for applying a voltage between the medium and the probe electrode, and a light source for irradiating the medium.

Abstract: In order to effect the reading-out of a signal from a recording medium at a high speed and without the collision of a probe electrode, the control of the spacing between the probe electrode and the signal recording layer of the recording medium is effected by sampling a tunnel current detected by the probe electrode at the timing of a reproduction clock, and reproduction is effected with this sampled value as a reference. Also, in order to effect information recording with good reproducibility and at high density, the control variable of a servo control circuit for controlling the spacing between the probe electrode and the recording layer is changed over during the periods before and after a writing pulse is applied to the probe electrode. Also, in order to effect re-recording reliably, the prior recorded state at the re-writing position is detected, and from the result of this detection, an optimal servo control variable, the waveform of a pulse voltage applied, etc. are set.