Abstract: A scanning probe microscope includes a laser diode (1a) as a light source for emitting light lower in energy level than band gap of semiconductor as a sample. Laser light (2) emitted therefrom should be of wavelength larger in value than a wavelength &lgr; calculated as follows: &lgr;=h·c/Eg where h is Planck's constant, c represents speed of light and Eg represents band gap. When the semiconductor as a sample is silicon, the band gap thereof is 1.12 eV, thus calculating the wavelength &lgr; at 1.107 &mgr;m. The laser diode (1a) should be such that the laser light (2) emitted therefrom is of wavelength larger in value than &lgr;. It is therefore allowed to avoid emission of light higher in energy level than the band gap of silicon as a sample and eventually, avoid generation of photoelectric current in the sample.

Abstract: A scanning probe microscope includes a laser diode (1a) as a light source for emitting light lower in energy level than band gap of semiconductor as a sample.

Abstract: It is an object to obtain a scanning probe microscope capable of effectively suppressing a reduction in precision in a measurement. A conductive probe (2C) has such a pyramid structure as to be expanded from a tip portion to a bottom surface (a surface on which a cantilever (1) is to be formed) and a semiconductor integrated circuit (12) is formed in a side surface of the conductive probe (2C). An amplifying circuit (12a) to be the semiconductor integrated circuit (12) amplifies an electrical characteristic signal given from the conductive probe (2C) to send the electrical characteristic signal to a signal processor (10) through a conductive cantilever (1C) and a signal cable (9).

Abstract: It is an object to obtain a scanning probe microscope capable of effectively suppressing a reduction in precision in a measurement. A conductive probe (2C) has such a pyramid structure as to be expanded from a tip portion to a bottom surface (a surface on which a cantilever (1) is to be formed) and a semiconductor integrated circuit (12) is formed in a side surface of the conductive probe (2C). An amplifying circuit (12a) to be the semiconductor integrated circuit (12) amplifies an electrical characteristic signal given from the conductive probe (2C) to send the electrical characteristic signal to a signal processor (10) through a conductive cantilever (1C) and a signal cable (9) (FIG. 1).

Abstract: In a method for fabricating an infrared detector, initially, a CdHgTe layer of a first conductivity type is produced on a front surface of a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of spaced apart CdHgTe regions of a second conductivity type, opposite the first conductivity type, are produced at the surface of the first conductivity type CdHgTe layer, and part of the surface of the first conductivity type CdHgTe layer between the second conductivity type CdHgTe regions is selectively irradiated with a charged particle beam to evaporate Hg atoms from that part, whereby a CdHgTe separation region of the first conductivity type and having a Cd composition larger than that of the first conductivity type CdHgTe layer is produced penetrating through the first conductivity type CdHgTe layer and surrounding each of the second conductivity type CdHgTe regions. Therefore, a highly-integrated high-resolution infrared detector with no crosstalk between pixels is achieved.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser producing visible light includes a first conductivity type semiconductor substrate, a first conductivity type AlGaInP cladding layer containing a first dopant impurity and disposed on the substrate, a semiconductor first spacer layer disposed on the cladding layer, an undoped InGaP active layer disposed on the first spacer layer wherein the first spacer layer inhibits intrusion of the first dopant impurity into the active layer, a semiconductor second spacer layer disposed on the active layer, a second conductivity type AlGaInP light guide layer containing a second dopant impurity and disposed on the active layer wherein the second spacer layer inhibits intrusion of the second dopant impurity into the active layer, a second conductivity type semiconductor current concentration and collection structure disposed on the light guide layer, and first and second electrodes disposed on the substrate and the current concentration and collection structure, respectively.