Abstract: A probing apparatus having an elastic body supported by a support and provided with a probe at its free end. The elastic body is disposed in a solution in which a sample is held. The elastic body is forcibly oscillated at its natural frequency by a driving source. A displacement detecting device detects a variation in the oscillation state of the elastic body which takes place when the tip of the probe is placed in the vicinity of the surface of the sample. The detected output from the displacement detecting device is fed to a sample data monitor device to provide a topographic image thereon.

Abstract: A cantilever has a probe on one surface of the free end and a reflection surface on the opposite surface thereof. A laser diode is located so as to emit a laser beam to the reflection surface at a predetermined angle. The cantilever is supported at a support member fixed to a cylindrical actuator for scanning the probe across the surface of a sample. Further, there is provided a photodiode having two portions for receiving the laser beam from the reflection surface of the cantilever to detect displacement of the probe on the basis of the incident position of the beam.

Abstract: A cantilever has a probe on one side of the end portion and a mirror on the opposite side. The cantilever is fixed to a support member via a piezoelectric element. A semiconductor laser situated above the mirror has a reflection cleavage plane and constitutes a Fabry-Perot resonator between the mirror and the reflection cleavage plane. The output from the resonator varies in accordance with the amount of displacement of the end portion of the cantilever, that is, the surface configuration of the sample. This variation is detected by a detector via a photodetector. A control circuit controls a driving voltage applied to an XYZ-scanner so as to cancel the variation of the output from the resonator, thereby keeping constant the distance between the tip of the probe and the surface of the sample. The driving voltage provides height data of the sample surface. The driving voltage, along with a position signal relating to the sample surface output from the XYZ-scanner, is supplied to an image forming unit.

Abstract: A hole is formed in a silicon substrate, passing through the substrate. An insulating film is formed on one face of the silicon substrate and one open end of the hole is thus closed by the insulating film. An antireflection film is attached to that area of the insulating film by which the one open end of the hole is closed. An optical fiber is fitted and fixed in the hole. An optically-transparent conical probe is formed on the area of the insulating film which corresponds to the hole in the silicon substrate and the probe is coated by a metal film while leaving a tip of the probe not coated. A fine aperture is thus formed at the tip of the probe to allow light to enter into the probe through the fine aperture. The metal film prevents light reflected from entering into the probe and light from being leaked from the probe, and it is connected to an electrode to use tunnel current to position the fine aperture near a sample.

Abstract: A cantilever displacement detection apparatus comprises a laser diode for emitting a laser beam functioning as detection beam for displacement detection based on an optical lever method, and a position sensor having two light receiving regions for outputting signals corresponding to the intensity of received light. The laser diode and the position sensor are arranged such that the light beam is passed through an objective lens and made incident slantingly on a mirror provided on a free-end portion of a cantilever and the laser beam reflected by the mirror is passed through the objective lens and made incident on the position sensor.

Abstract: A scanning tunneling microscope memory apparatus comprises first and second integrated circuit (IC) substrates. First and second cantilevers, which can be moved by piezoelectric elements, are arranged on the first and second IC substrates, respectively. Tunnel current probes are provided on a free end of the first cantilever, and a recording element is provided on a free end of the second cantilever. The first and second cantilevers are spaced from each other and overlap such that the tunnel current probes face the recording element. The first or second substrate includes a charge coupled device (CCD) circuit, a control circuit for controlling the CCD circuit and cantilevers, and a drive circuit having a preamplifier, a write circuit, and a servo circuit.

Abstract: A scanning probe microscope according to the present invention comprises a cantilever having a free end portion and a fixed end portion, the free end portion bearing a probe thereon, a semiconductor laser attached to the fixed end portion of the cantilever, an optical waveguide for guiding a laser beam, emitted from the semiconductor laser, to the free end portion, an optical element for dividing part of a center beam of the laser beam, guided through the optical waveguide, into laser beams in at least two perpendicular directions, a photoelectric transducer for receiving the divided laser beams and converting the laser beams into electrical output signals corresponding thereto, and a differential circuit for receiving the electrical signals and subjecting the signals to predetermined arithmetic processing, thereby detecting a three-dimensional displacement of the free end portion of the cantilever.

Abstract: An STM memory medium comprising a substrate whose surface is smooth or even, a first insulating layer formed at a predetermined depth in the substrate by implanting first ion atoms from the smooth surface of the substrate into it under a certain condition, and a second insulating layer formed adjacent to the first insulating layer and at another predetermined depth in the substrate by implanting second ion atoms from the smooth surface of the substrate into it under another certain condition.

Abstract: An atomic force microscope comprises a probe having a sharply-pointed tip end. The probe is supported on the free end portion of a cantilever and is close to the surface of a specimen. When an interatomic force is produced, the cantilever is deformed, and the probe is displaced. The displacement of the probe is detected by an optical system. A light beam emitted from a light source is collimated by a lens, and reflected by a polarized beam-splitter, and also by a half-mirror. Then, the light beam passes through a quarter wavelength plate and an objective lens, such that the light is converged on the cantilever. The reflected light beam from the cantilever returns along the same optical path and passes through the splitter. The light beam is divided into two light beams at the splitter. These two light beams are reflected by respective prisms and are then incident on respective photodetectors. These photodetectors detect the displacement of the probe.

Abstract: A cantilever has a probe on one side of the end portion and a mirror on the opposite side. The cantilever is fixed to a support member via a piezoelectric element. A semiconductor laser situated above the mirror has a reflection cleavage plane and constitutes a Fabry-Perot resonator between the mirror and the reflection cleavage plane. The output from the resonator varies in accordance with the amount of displacement of the end portion of the cantilever, that is, the surface configuration of the sample. This variation is detected by a detector via a photodetector. A control circuit controls a driving voltage applied to an XYZ-scanner so as to cancel the variation of the output from the resonator, thereby keeping constant the distance between the tip of the probe and the surface of the sample. The driving voltage provides height data of the sample surface. The driving voltage, along with a position signal relating to the sample surface output from the XYZ-scanner, is supplied to an image forming unit.

Abstract: A scanning probe microscope according to the present invention comprises a cantilever having a free end portion and a fixed end portion, the free end portion bearing a probe thereon, a semiconductor laser attached to the fixed end portion of the cantilever, an optical waveguide for guiding a laser beam, emitted from the semiconductor laser, to the free end portion, an optical element for dividing part of a center beam of the laser beam, guided through the optical waveguide, into laser beams in at least two perpendicular directions, a photoelectric transducer for receiving the divided laser beams and converting the laser beams into electrical output signals corresponding thereto, and a differential circuit for receiving the electrical signals and subjecting the signals to predetermined arithmetic processing, thereby detecting a three-dimensional displacement of the free end portion of the cantilever.

Abstract: A lithography apparatus is provided with an SXM base, which has a plurality of cantilevers movably supporting probes at their free ends, respectively. The SXM base is secured to a mirror base by a support arm via inchworm devices, such that it faces a silicon wafer placed on a wafer stage. The silicon wafer has an alignment pattern formed thereon, while the SXM base has a reference alignment pattern formed thereon which is similar to the alignment pattern. A voltage is applied to the probes at a predetermined point of time under the control of a controller while a gas containing a film-forming material is being supplied onto the wafer, whereby the film-forming material is adsorbed in a desired portion of the surface of the wafer.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a predetermined circuit pattern on a circuit substrate by using a .mu.-STM write head, the .mu.-STM write head comprising a write head substrate having a flat surface, a plurality of micro chip electrodes formed upright on the flat surface of the write head substrate and constituting a .mu.-STM, a level of a distal end of each of the chip electrodes being set to be constant, and scanning means for scanning the micro chip electrodes on the circuit substrate by moving the micro chip electrodes and the circuit substrate relative to each other in two-dimensional directions.

Abstract: A light beam from a light source is divided into two beams by a polarized beam splitter. The beam is reflected by a mirror, is converted into a P-polarized beam by a 1/4 .lambda. plate, passes through the beam splitter, is reflected by prisms, passes through a polarized beam splitter, is reflected by a mirror, is converted into a S-polarized beam by a 1/4 .lambda. plate, is reflected by the beam splitter, and is finally incident on a detector. The beam is converted into a S-polarized beam by a 1/2 .lambda. plate, is reflected by a polarized beam splitter, is reflected by the upper face of a cantilever supporting a probe, passes through a polarized beam splitter, is reflected twice in a prism, passes through the beam splitter, is reflected again by the cantilever, is converted into a S-polarized beam by a 1/4 .lambda. plate, is reflected by the beam splitter, is converted into a P-polarized beam by a 1/2 .lambda. plate, passes through the beam splitter, and is finally incident on the detector.

Abstract: A scanning probe microscope comprises a probe supported by a cantilever at the end portion. The cantilever elastically deforms by force acting on the probe. During the probe is scanned along the sample surface, a displacement of the probe along a z-axis perpendicular to the sample surface and a slant of the probe with respect to the z-axis is detected by an optical system. The optical system includes a light source, a reflection surface provided on the end of the cantilever and an optical element having first through forth light receiving regions. A light beam from the light source is directed to and reflected on the reflection surface, the beam from the reflection surface is directed on the light receiving regions. The microscope further comprises a servo circuit for controlling the displacement and the slant of the cantilever to keep them constant in response to signals S.delta. and S.theta.

Abstract: A micro scanning tunneling microscope ("STM") arithmetic circuit device comprises an information-rewritable micro STM recording medium and a micro STM recording apparatus which temporarily stores information on the recording medium such that the information can be read as a variation in a tunnel current. The recording apparatus has a probe (probes) for writing/reading information on the recording medium and a scanner for varying a relationship in position between the probe and the recording medium. The micro STM recording apparatus uses a recording medium having a specific format as the micro STM recording medium in which recorded information is read as a variation in a tunnel current. That is, the recording medium has an address area in which address information is recorded and a data area in which data information is recorded.

Abstract: A displacement detection device has a laser unit. The laser unit has two semiconductor lasers formed on a single substrate through a single process. One of the lasers has an end coated with a reflection preventing film and facing a mirror provided at the end of a cantilever. The other end of the laser is coated with a film having a high reflectance film such that a light resonator is formed together with the mirror and the high reflectance film. The other laser has both opposite ends coated with films of a high reflectance, and a light resonator is formed between the opposite ends. Two laser beams emitted from the two semiconductor lasers interfere with each other, and the resultant interference light enters the light detector. The detector detects a variation in the interference light caused by displacement of the mirror, and outputs a signal indicative of a displacement in the cantilever.

Abstract: A probe for scanning a sample is attached to a probe electrode supported by a cylindrical piezoelectric actuator. The actuator has four drive electrodes on its periphery, and deforms in the three axial directions in accordance with the voltage applied to the drive electrodes. A girdling electrode is provided between the actuator and the probe electrode. The girdling electrode is insulated from the probe electrode and the drive electrodes by insulator members provided on its upper and lower surfaces. A bias voltage signal S1 is input to an operational amplifier of which the output is connected to the girdling electrode. The amplifier is a voltage follower for equalizing the potential of the girdling electrode to that of the bias voltage signal S1. An operational amplifier has a non-inversion input to which the bias voltage signal S1 is input, and an inversion input connected to the probe electrode.

Abstract: A memory device comprises a base plate with a memory element supporting layer, a probe with a pointed tip portion, and a fine scan element for causing the probe to scan over the surface of the memory element supporting layer. When the probe is approached to the surface of the memory element supporting layer and a suitable bias voltage is applied across the probe and the memory element supporting layer, a tunnel current is cause to flow therebetween and a specific region of the surface of the supporting layer is excited. The excited region can adsorb one molecule of, for example, di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate. By causing the memory element to be adsorbed selectively on the memory element supporting layer, data is recorded in the form of a projection-and-recess pattern. The recorded data can be read out by observing the surface configuration of the supporting layer in accordance with the principle of an STM (scanning tunneling microscope).

Abstract: A sensor comprises a tiny cantilever of a thin film having a detection region at its free end portion, a detector for detecting a displacement of the cantilever caused by material acting on the detecting region, and calculation unit for calculating an amount of the material acting on the detection region, based on the displacement of the cantilever which has been detected by the detector, thereby to measure the intensity of a particle-stream applied to the detection region or the thickness of a film formed on the detection region.