Abstract: Utilizing rugged pattern of atomic size present on a crystalline substrate of a semiconductor such as silicon or selenium or the like, a microstructure body is produced on the substrate by forming a layer of a first element of one monolayer or less by arranging at the position of the substrate most stable in energy formed by ruggedness the atoms of the first element such as gold, silver, copper, nickel, palladium, platinum or an element of group IV and then depositing successively atoms of at least one second element of group III, group IV and group V on only at a part of the surface of the substrate on which said layer of one monolayer or less by vapor deposition, sputtering or the like.

Abstract: In a measuring method and a measuring apparatus which are suited for observing a dynamic physical phenomenon particularly in a microdevice, a signal for generating a physical phenomenon in a specimen is inputted to the specimen, and a signal which is caused by this dynamic physical phenomenon is detected by a probe which is close to or in contact with the specimen surface in correspondence with a signal input to the specimen on the basis of the specific time. The measuring apparatus has a scanning probe microscope with a probe (tip) which is close to or in contact with the specimen surface, a pulse voltage application control unit for applying respective pulse voltages to the specimen and probe, and a signal measuring unit for measuring a signal from the specimen detected by the probe.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring physical properties of micro area which has an object to measure physical properties from a micro area on an atomic scale on the surface of a test sample such as electron spin, nuclear magnetic moment, and nuclear quadrupole moment in high sensitivity, allows the probe 2 of the atomic force microscope to approach the surface of the test sample 1, applies a magnetic field to the test sample 1 by the magnetic field generation coil 27 and the magnetic paths 22 to 26 and furthermore a high frequency electromagnetic field to the test sample 1 by the coils 16 and 17 respectively, and detects a signal from atoms existing on the surface of the test sample 1 which are resonant with the high frequency electromagnetic field by the probe 2.

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.

Abstract: Method and apparatus of detecting, analyzing and evaluating the content of foreign matters such as dusts and impurities contained in various materials, units, processes and environment standing for constituting components of a mass production line during mass production start-up and during mass production, in order to manage a semiconductor production process. A mass production off-line system including an apparatus for detecting, analyzing and evaluating the content of foreign matters during the mass production start-up is separated from the production line and installed independently thereof. Monitors for detection of foreign matters are provided at necessary locations in the production line and monitor data is evaluated through various units to manage the content of foreign matters in the production line, permitting efficient and economical mass production start-up and mass production.

Abstract: In an electronic circuit device, a thin film resistor is formed on a substrate and includes first regions including one kind of atom such as Cr and exhibiting an electric conductivity and a second region including a compound such as SiO.sub.2 composed of two kinds of atoms and exhibiting an insulating property. In the thin film resistor, the first regions are scattered in the second region and have an average particle size of 2 nm to 20 nm.

Abstract: An image of a specimen which is to be processed is detected by a near-field optical scanning microscope. An image with extremely high resolution for identifying a minute portion of several tens nm is detected. The detected minute portion is processed by, for example, a tunnel current of a scanning tunneling microscope.