Abstract: In a microscope system, illumination light rays are emitted from a light source. The illumination light rays are collimated and reflected from a mirror to the optical element array. The optical element array is located at a conjugate position of a specimen, and includes a plurality of micro mirrors arranged in a matrix form. The micro mirrors are individually controlled to selectively reflect the illumination light rays for illuminating the specimen. Thus, a predetermined pattern of the light rays is reflected from the optical element array to an objective lens. The illumination light rays are projected on the specimen from the objective lens and the specimen is illuminated by the predetermined illumination pattern.

Abstract: A reaction vessel used for a genetic test has at least one reaction liquid containing section for containing a reaction liquid. The reaction liquid containing section has an upper well opening in an upper surface of the reaction vessel, a lower well located under the upper well, and a flow path communicating an external space with the lower well. The reaction vessel further has a reaction section disposed between the upper well and the lower well. The reaction section has a nucleic acid probe fixed to bones of a porous member. The upper well opening in the upper surface of the reaction vessel enables optical observation of the reaction section from above the reaction vessel.

Abstract: In a microscope system, illumination light rays are emitted from a light source. The illumination light rays are collimated and reflected from a mirror to the optical element array. The optical element array is located at a conjugate position of a specimen, and includes a plurality of micro mirrors arranged in a matrix form. The micro mirrors are individually controlled to selectively reflect the illumination light rays for illuminating the specimen. Thus, a predetermined pattern of the light rays is reflected from the optical element array to an objective lens. The illumination light rays are projected on the specimen from the objective lens and the specimen is illuminated by the predetermined illumination pattern.

Abstract: A probe chip suitable for observing the vertical walls of steps in a specimen includes a cantilever-like elastic member section extending from a support section, and a probe section at the free end of the elastic member section. The probe section is in the form of a triangular flat plate. Three ridges are terminated at two vertexes at the tip of the probe section. The direction normal to the plane of the probe section section is parallel to the ridge connecting the two points at the tip. These two terminal points at the tip of the probe section act as a virtual probe and interact with the surface of the specimen. The direction normal to the plane of the elastic member section is nonparallel to the direction normal to the plane of the probe section.

Abstract: A scanning tunnel microscope is arranged by a combination of an optical microscope and a tunnel scanning unit. The scanning tunnel unit includes a probe held to be spaced apart from a sample placed on a sample table by a predetermined interval in an axial direction, and an actuator for axially moving the sample table and the probe to a tunnel region and relatively and three-dimensionally driving the sample table and the probe. An objective lens and the probe are arranged such that the axis of the probe of the scanning tunnel unit is aligned with an optical axis of the objective lens of the optical microscope. The sample and the probe are axially moved and brought into the tunnel region, and the sample is scanned in its surface direction while the sample and the probe are finely moved in the axial direction and a tunnel current is kept constant, thereby performing an STM observation of an observation surface of the sample.

Abstract: A scanning tunneling microscope has an STM unit including a probe for scanning the surface of an object. The STM unit has at its outer peripheral surface a cylindrical enclosing member extending towards an object table. When the object is observed, the object table is elevated or the STM unit is lowered, so that the enclosing member is urged upon the table. The table and the STM unit constitute one body. As a result, relative movement between the object and the probe can be prevented, and also influence due to vibration can be prevented. In addition, the enclosing member isolates the object and the probe from the outside space, whereby electric noise, magnetic noise, sound noise and air flow are shielded. Thus, the influence due to external vibration can be reduced, and the stability is enhanced.

Abstract: An atomic force microscope comprises a probe having a sharply-pointed tip end. The probe is supported on the free end portion of a cantilever and is close to the surface of a specimen. When an interatomic force is produced, the cantilever is deformed, and the probe is displaced. The displacement of the probe is detected by an optical system. A light beam emitted from a light source is collimated by a lens, and reflected by a polarized beam-splitter, and also by a half-mirror. Then, the light beam passes through a quarter wavelength plate and an objective lens, such that the light is converged on the cantilever. The reflected light beam from the cantilever returns along the same optical path and passes through the splitter. The light beam is divided into two light beams at the splitter. These two light beams are reflected by respective prisms and are then incident on respective photodetectors. These photodetectors detect the displacement of the probe.

Abstract: An atomic probe microscope comprises a cantilever which includes a lever section provided with a probe, a lever attaching section for supporting the lever section, and a positioning striking section formed at the lever attaching section. A cantilever unit comprises a seat for supporting the cantilever and provided with a face against which the positioning striking section is received.

Abstract: A scanning tunneling microscope includes an observation optical system for optically observing the surface of an object. The optical system is fixed on an optical system fixing member. The optical system is moved in a direction (Z-direction) vertical to the surface of the object by means of a motor, whereby the focal point of the optical system is adjusted. An STM measurement probe supported by an optically transparent member is disposed between the optical system and the object. When the object is optically observed, the probe is displaced from the focal point by means of a micrometer. Thus, an optical observation image of the surface of the object, which is not affected by the shadow of the probe, can be obtained. When the STM measurement is carried out, a probe unit enables the probe to scan the surface of the object, and an STM image is obtained by a conventional method.

Abstract: A scanning tunneling microscope includes a piezoelectric driver expanding and contracting according to a voltage applied thereto to adjust the distance between a sample and a probe. A servo circuit outputs a servo voltage to control the expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric driver to keep a tunnel current flowing between the sample and the probe at a constant value. A correction voltage generating circuit generates a given correction voltage to correct a voltage to be applied to the piezoelectric driver. An adding circuit adds the servo voltage and the correction voltage together and supplies an added output to the piezoelectric driver. A control circuit controls the correction voltage according to the servo voltage to set the added output to a given reference voltage.

Abstract: A probe unit includes a disk-like substrate made of transparent material, a transparent electrode coated on all over the substrate, and a metal wire whose sharp tip is projected vertically and upwardly from the center of the substrate through the transparent electrode. The metal wire is made of Pt-Ir, which incudes a sharp tip projected from the upper surface of the substrate and a stem embedded in a hole of the electrode and fixed to the electrode and substrate by conductive adhesive.

Abstract: A scanning type tunnel microscope comprises a sample holding member for supporting a sample and a scanning probe which is arranged to face the sample to be separated therefrom by a very small distance and a supported by a scanning probe holding member. A tunnel current is flowed between the sample and scanning probe upon application of a voltage thereacross. A first actuator is coupled to the sample holding member and a second actuator is coupled to the scanning probe holding member so that the first and second actuators relatively drive said sample and said scanning probe in an axial direction and in a planar direction through said sample holding member and said scanning probe holding member. A differential micrometer is connected to the first actuator to move the actuator in the axial direction, and the micrometer and the second actuator are fixed on a substrate.