Abstract: A measuring container for measurement of impurity ions in a liquid includes: a first electrode; a first insulation film formed on the first electrode; a second insulation film formed apart from the first insulation film to create a space into which the liquid is to be sealed; a second electrode on which the second insulation film is formed, the second electrode being arranged to face the first electrode; and a seal material having an inlet through which the liquid is injected into the space, the seal material being configured to seal the space.

Abstract: A probe needle is successively moved to a plurality of measurement points set in a measurement region on a sample so as to measure a z-displacement amount. An excitation control unit feedback-controls a piezoelectric element so that a vibration amplitude of a cantilever is constant in accordance with the detection output by a displacement detection unit. Moreover, a vertical displacement control unit feedback-controls a vertical position scan unit so as to obtain a constant distance between the probe needle and the sample according to a frequency shift by a frequency detection unit. When changes of outputs of two feedback loops at a certain measurement point are both within a predetermined range, a main control unit issues an instruction to a horizontal position control unit to rapidly move to the next measurement point. As a result, it is possible to adaptively decide such a measurement time that both of the two feedback controls at respective measurement points are established.

Abstract: A probe needle is successively moved to a plurality of measurement points set in a measurement region on a sample so as to measure a z-displacement amount. An excitation control unit feedback-controls a piezoelectric element so that a vibration amplitude of a cantilever is constant in accordance with the detection output by a displacement detection unit. Moreover, a vertical displacement control unit feedback-controls a vertical position scan unit so as to obtain a constant distance between the probe needle and the sample according to a frequency shift by a frequency detection unit. When changes of outputs of two feedback loops at a certain measurement point are both within a predetermined range, a main control unit issues an instruction to a horizontal position control unit to rapidly move to the next measurement point. As a result, it is possible to adaptively decide such a measurement time that both of the two feedback controls at respective measurement points are established.

Abstract: A method for analyzing a sample in a liquid is provided, which is suitable for easily and reliably preventing a liquid for analysis from being evaporated. When the sample in the liquid is observed by using a scanning probe microscope (SPM), a sealing liquid (17) immiscible with a liquid for analysis (16) is filled around the liquid for analysis (16), in which a sample (13) and a probe (15) are immersed, so as to form a sealing state, in which the liquid for analysis (16) is isolated from an external gas. The SPM enables the probe (15) disposed on a front end of a cantilever (14) to approach a surface of the sample (13) immersed in the liquid, scans the surface of the sample, and detects an interaction between the sample (13) and the probe (15), thereby generating an image.

Abstract: A frequency shift ?f obtained by an FM-AFM can be expressed by a simple linear coupling of a ?fLR derived from a long-range interaction force and a ?fSR derived from a short-range interaction force. Given this factor, a ?f curve on an atomic defect and a ?f curve on a target atom on the sample surface are each measured for only a relatively short range scale (S1 and S2), and a difference ?f curve of those two curves is obtained (S3). Since the difference ?f curve is derived only from a short-range interaction force, a known conversion operation is applied to this curve obtain an F curve which illustrates the relationship between the force and the distance Z, and then the short-range interaction force on the target atom is obtained from the F curve (S4). Since the range scale in measuring the ?f curve can be narrowed, the measurement time can be shortened, and since the conversion from the ?f curve into F curve is required only once, the computational time can also be shortened.

Abstract: A method for analyzing a sample in a liquid is provided, which is suitable for easily and reliably preventing a liquid for analysis from being evaporated. When the sample in the liquid is observed by using a scanning probe microscope (SPM), a sealing liquid (17) immiscible with a liquid for analysis (16) is filled around the liquid for analysis (16), in which a sample (13) and a probe (15) are immersed, so as to form a sealing state, in which the liquid for analysis (16) is isolated from an external gas. The SPM enables the probe (15) disposed on a front end of a cantilever (14) to approach a surface of the sample (13) immersed in the liquid, scans the surface of the sample, and detects an interaction between the sample (13) and the probe (15), thereby generating an image.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique for eliminating the effect of the thermal drift and other variances and to improve the observing or manipulating accuracy of a scanning probe microscope or atom manipulator by using the technique to correct the aforementioned change in the relative position of the probe and the sample due to heat or other factors during the observation or manipulation. To obtain an image of the sample surface at the atomic level or perform a certain manipulation on an atom on the sample surface, the present invention can be applied to a probe position control method for controlling the relative position of the probe and the sample while measuring an interaction between the objective atom on the sample surface and the tip of the probe. In the present method, the relative position of the probe and the sample are changed while the probe is oscillated relative to the sample in two directions parallel to the sample surface at frequencies of f1 and f2 (S1a).

Abstract: A frequency shift ?f obtained by an FM-AFM can be expressed by a simple linear coupling of a ?fLR derived from a long-range interaction force and a ?fSR derived from a short-range interaction force. Given this factor, a ?f curve on an atomic defect and a ?f curve on a target atom on the sample surface are each measured for only a relatively short range scale (S1 and S2), and a difference ?f curve of those two curves is obtained (S3). Since the difference ?f curve is derived only from a short-range interaction force, a known conversion operation is applied to this curve obtain an F curve which illustrates the relationship between the force and the distance Z, and then the short-range interaction force on the target atom is obtained from the F curve (S4). Since the range scale in measuring the ?f curve can be narrowed, the measurement time can be shortened, and since the conversion from the ?f curve into F curve is required only once, the computational time can also be shortened.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique for eliminating the effect of the thermal drift and other variances and to improve the observing or manipulating accuracy of a scanning probe microscope or atom manipulator by using the technique to correct the aforementioned change in the relative position of the probe and the sample due to heat or other factors during the observation or manipulation. To obtain an image of the sample surface at the atomic level or perform a certain manipulation on an atom on the sample surface, the present invention can be applied to a probe position control method for controlling the relative position of the probe and the sample while measuring an interaction between the objective atom on the sample surface and the tip of the probe. In the present method, the relative position of the probe and the sample are changed while the probe is oscillated relative to the sample in two directions parallel to the sample surface at frequencies of f1 and f2 (S1a).