Abstract: A point contact array, including plural point contacts electrically and reversibly controlling conductance between electrodes and being applicable to an arithmetic circuit, a logic circuit, a memory device, a NOT circuit, and an electronic circuit including the same. The circuit includes plural point contacts each including a first electrode made of a compound conductive material having ionic conductivity and electronic conductivity and a second electrode made of a conductive substance. The conductance of each point contact is controlled to realize the circuit. Ag2S, Ag2Se, Cu2S, or Cu2Se is preferably used as the compound conductive material. When a semiconductor or insulator material is interposed between the electrodes, a crystal or an amorphous material of GeSx, GeSex, GeTex, or WOx (0<x<100) is preferably used as the semiconductor or insulator material.

Abstract: A digital probing type atomic force microscope (AFM) for measuring high aspect structures with high precision. A probe 21 is vibrated while moved to the vicinity of an atomic force region on a specimen surface. The position of the probe is measured when a specified atomic force is detected in the atomic force region. The probe is then moved away from the specimen surface. A servo system for maintaining a gap between the probe and specimen surface is stopped. The probe is moved to a measurement point along the specimen surface while kept away from the specimen. The vibration frequency is a frequency slightly offset from the cantilever resonance point. The atomic force is detected based on the vibration amplitude of the cantilever.

Abstract: There are provided a point contact array, in which a plurality of point contacts are arranged, each point contact electrically and reversibly controlling conductance between electrodes and being applicable to an arithmetic circuit, a logic circuit, and a memory device, a NOT circuit, and an electronic circuit using the same. A circuit includes a plurality of point contacts each composed of a first electrode made of a compound conductive material having ionic conductivity and electronic conductivity and a second electrode made of a conductive substance. The conductance of each point contact is controlled to realize the circuit. Ag2S, Ag2Se, Cu2S, or Cu2Se is preferably used as the compound conductive material. When a semiconductor or insulator material is interposed between the electrodes, a crystal or an amorphous material of GeSx, GeSex, GeTex, or WOx (0<x<100) is preferably used as the semiconductor or insulator material.

Abstract: The present invention provides a solid electrolyte switching device, which can maintain an on or off state when the power source is removed, the resistance of which in on the state is low, and which is capable of integration and re-programming, and FPGA and a memory device using the same, and a method of manufacturing the same.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for constructing bridge including fine wires or point contacts producing a quanitized inter-electrode conductance, and provides a method for easily controlling the conductance of this bridge. Further, it aims to provide an electronic element using conductance control due to the bridge, fine wire or point contact formed between the electrodes. These objects are accomplied with an electronic element comprising a first electrode comprising a mixed electroconducting material having ion conductance and electron conductance, and a second electrode comprising an electroconducting substance, wherein the inter-electric conductance can be controlled. In another aspect, this invention is an electronic element formed by a bridge between electrodes, by applying a voltage between the electrodes so that the second electrode is negative with respect to the first electrode and movable ions migrate from the first electrode to the second electrode.

Abstract: A NOT circuit realized using an atomic switch serving as a two terminal device and including a first electrode made of a compound conductive material having ionic conductivity and electronic conductivity and a second electrode made of a conductive substance. Ag2S, Ag2Se, Cu2S, or Cu2Se is preferably used as the compound conductive material.

Abstract: An apparatus provided for evaluating electrical characteristics by bringing a plurality of metal probes in contact with a sample. A metal probe is formed on a free end of a cantilever on which are formed a resistor, two electrodes for resistance detection, and an electrode for measuring electrical characteristics. A tip of the metal probe projects beyond the free end of the cantilever. The probe position is controlled by an atomic force microscopy.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for constructing bridge including fine wires or point contacts producing a quanitized inter-electrode conductance, and provides a method for easily controlling the conductance of this bridge. Further, it aims to provide an electronic element using conductance control due to the bridge, fine wire or point contact formed between the electrodes.

Abstract: A wavelength-tunable light emitting device includes a substrate having an atomic-scale structure formed on a surface thereof, a needle member for locally applying a voltage through a vacuum space or a transparent insulating member to the substrate to cause a tunnel current to flow through the atomic-scale structure, and a variable-voltage power supply capable of varying voltage applied across the gap between the substrate and the needle member. The gap between the first member and the second member is as close as a few nm in length. A tunnel current flows from the tip of the needle member to the atomic-scale structure when a predetermined voltage is applied across the gap between the substrate and the needle member; and light is emitted from a tunneling region in which the tunnel current flows, because of an optical transition between respective localized states of the substrate and the needle.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of forming a polymer chain of a desired length in a thin film comprising a monomer having a multiple bond in a desired position. This invention is a method of polymerizing a monomer to form the polymer chain by applying a pulse voltage to the thin film comprising the monomer having a multiple bond in a desired position. The polymer chain may be polymerized to a desired length in a desired position. The pulse voltage, may be applied using the probe of a scanning tunnel microscope. The length of the monomer may be controlled using a defect formed on the above-mentioned thin film as an end point of the polymer chain.

Abstract: There are provided a point contact array, in which a plurality of point contacts are arranged, each point contact electrically and reversibly controlling conductance between electrodes and being applicable to an arithmetic circuit, a logic circuit, and a memory device, a NOT circuit, and an electronic circuit using the same.

Abstract: The invention provides a probe for use with a scanning tunneling microscope, a method of treating the probe, and a method of fabricating a nano-structure, which facilitates formation of a continuous nano-structure. The probe for the scanning tunneling microscope is formed of an Ag2S crystal having both ion conductivity and electron conductivity. Voltage and tunnel current are applied between the probe and a substrate in order to move movable Ag ions to thereby grow, on the tip end of the probe, a projection (mini chip) composed of Ag ions or Ag atoms. The polarity of the applied voltage is reversed after the growth of the projection in order to return the Ag ions or Ag atoms constituting the grown projection (mini chip) into the Ag2S crystal to thereby contract the projection. Thus, the probe can have a projection composed of Ag ions or Ag atoms and a regulated shape.

Abstract: A wavelength-tunable light emitting device includes a substrate having an atomic-scale structure formed on a surface thereof, a needle member for locally applying a voltage through a vacuum space or a transparent insulating member to the substrate to cause a tunnel current to flow through the atomic-scale structure, and a variable-voltage power supply capable of varying voltage applied across the gap between the substrate and the needle member. The gap between the first member and the second member is as close as a few nm in length. A tunnel current flows from the tip of the needle member to the atomic-scale structure when a predetermined voltage is applied across the gap between the substrate and the needle member; and light is emitted from a tunneling region in which the tunnel current flows, because of an optical transition between respective localized states of the substrate and the needle.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for evaluating electrical characteristics by bringing a plurality of metal probes in contact with a minute area with low contact resistance.

Abstract: From an ion source and accelerator an ion beam is generated, this ion beam is let go through a circular hole bored in the center of a detector and orifices to irradiate a sample in a sample chamber. The detector detects particles scattered from the sample and arrived at the detector through the orifices. With exhaust units and orifices, the region surrounding the detector is exhausted to be a prescribed degree of vacuum of higher vacuum than the inside of the sample chamber.

Abstract: Atomic displacement on a material surface is detected by, in a system comprising the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) and a material in question, upon an atomic displacement operation comprising extraction of atoms on the material surface and adsorption of atoms onto the material surface through application of a pulse voltage to the tip of STM, measuring a z-piezo voltage along the time series during and after application of the pulse voltage. Furthermore, heteroatoms dissociated by a reaction between the tip surface of STM and heteromolecules in a heteromolecular atmosphere are stored on the surface of the tip of STM, and then, heteroatoms are locally adsorbed onto the material surface by causing electro-evaporation of the heteroatoms through application of a prescribed scanning voltage to the tip of STM.

Abstract: This invention provides a superconducting magnetic shield and a magnetic shielding apparatus including the same, thereby accurately measuring an extremely weak magnetic field such an magnetoencephalographic waves by reducing the influence of magnetic field of the earth or magnetic noises.

Abstract: This invention provides a superconducting magnetic shield and a magnetic shielding apparatus including the same, thereby accurately measuring an extremely weak magnetic field such as magnetoencephalographic waves by reducing the influence of magnetic field of the earth or magnetic noises.

Abstract: An ion source, a first control electrode for controlling an ion beam emitted by the ion source, a detector for detecting scattered particles, and a second control electrode for controlling the ion beam, which is directed from the ion source toward a sample, as well as the scattered particles, are arranged on the same axis along with the sample. The ion beam directed from the ion source toward the sample, and the scattered particles, which are scattered from the sample and are directed toward the detector, are caused to converge. By using an Einzel-type lens as the second control electrode, charged particles and neutral particles constituting the scattered particles are provided with a difference in speed. The detector possesses an anode plate which is divided into the form of concentric, circular plates or concentric arc-shaped plates, and each divided anode plate provides a detection output which contains information relating to a distribution of the scattering angles of the scattered ions.