Abstract: An device according to the present invention comprises: graphene; and a metal electrode, the metal electrode and the graphene being electrically connected, the following relationship of Eq. (1) being satisfied: coth ? ( r GP r C ? S ) < 1.3 , Eq . ? ( 1 ) where rGP (in units of ?/?m2) denotes the electrical resistance of a graphene layer per unit area, rC (in units of ??m2) denotes the contact resistance per unit area between the graphene layer and a metal electrode, and S denotes the contact area (in units of ?m2) between the graphene layer and the metal electrode.

Abstract: In a scanning probe microscope, a nanotube and metal nano-particles are combined together to configure a plasmon-enhanced near-field probe having an optical resolution on the order of nanometers as a measuring probe in which a metal structure is embedded, and this plasmon-enhanced near-field probe is installed in a highly-efficient plasmon exciting unit to repeat approaching to and retracting from each measuring point on a sample with a low contact force, so that optical information and profile information of the surface of the sample are measured with a resolution on the order of nanometers, a high S/N ratio, and high reproducibility without damaging both of the probe and the sample.

Abstract: A graphene-on-oxide substrate according to the present invention includes: a substrate having a metal oxide layer formed on its surface; and, formed on the metal oxide layer, a graphene layer including at least one atomic layer of the graphene. The graphene layer is grown generally parallel to the surface of the metal oxide layer, and the inter-atomic-layer distance between the graphene atomic layer adjacent to the surface of the metal oxide layer and the surface atomic layer of the metal oxide layer is 0.34 nm or less. Preferably, the arithmetic mean surface roughness Ra of the metal oxide layer is 1 nm or less.

Abstract: In a near-field scanning microscope using an aperture probe, the upper limit of the aperture formation is at most several ten nm in practice. In a near-field scanning microscope using a scatter probe, the resolution ability is limited to at most several ten nm because of the external illuminating light serving as background noise. Moreover, measurement reproducibility is seriously lowered by a damage or abrasion of a probe. Optical data and unevenness data of the surface of a sample can be measured at a nm-order resolution ability and a high reproducibility while damaging neither the probe nor the sample by fabricating a plasmon-enhanced near-field probe having a nm-order optical resolution ability by combining a nm-order cylindrical structure with nm-order microparticles and repeatedly moving the probe toward the sample and away therefrom at a low contact force at individual measurement points on the sample.

Abstract: In a tip having a carbon nanotube tip used to a scanning probe microscope, its length of the tip is adjusted in a several order of 10 nm and the tip maintains cylindrical shape up to the extremity portion.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a measuring apparatus such as a conduction characteristics evaluation apparatus, a probe microscope, etc. having a nanotube probe, wherein the measuring apparatus is succeeded in reducing the electrical resistance of the carbon nanotube as well as the electrical resistance between the carbon nanotube and a metal substrate to improve electrical conduction characteristics of the nanotube probe and attain a uniform diameter, thus improving the measurement accuracy. In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, there is provided a conduction characteristics evaluation apparatus having a nanotube probe made of a nanotube coated by tiny fragments of graphene sheets to improve the wettability with respect to metal materials and then coated by a metal layer, or a conduction characteristics evaluation apparatus having a nanotube probe made of a metal-coated amorphous nanotube composed of tiny fragments of graphene sheets.

Abstract: The present invention provides a cantilever having a base fixed to an inspecting apparatus, a beam protruding from the base, and a probe fixed to an end of the beam, wherein: the probe is formed by use of a carbon nanotube; and the probe is fixed by metal layers from at least two directions when the cantilever is operated, the probe protrudes in a direction in which a sample is fixed. It is possible to prevent the probe from warping and suppress image failures during observation of a sample.