Abstract: A bias voltage U.sub.B including a sine-wave voltage U.sub.T sin.omega. .sub.o t and an off-set voltage U.sub.REG is applied to an electrode on a sample. A potential U.sub.1 of the electrode is represented by: U.sub.1 =U.sub.REG +U.sub.T sin.omega. .sub.o t. A voltage including the bias voltage U.sub.B and a voltage .DELTA.U is applied to an electrode on the sample. A probe is approached to the sample by several nm, and a tunnel current I.sub.T flows therebetween. And the probe scans the surface of the sample. During the scan, the position of the probe is servo-controlled in the z-direction, to make constant the average absolute value of the tunnel current. The servo voltage is recorded thereby obtaining an STM image. Given that the potential difference between the electrode and a surface portion facing the probe is U.sub.S (x), the average of U.sub.1 +U.sub.S (x) becomes zero when the average of the tunnel current I.sub.T is zero. Accordingly, <U.sub.S (x)+U.sub.REG +U.sub.T sin.omega. .sub.

Abstract: White light emitted from a light source is made incident on a spectroscope via a lens. The light from the spectroscope is converged by a lens and fed to one end of an optical fiber. The other end of the fiber is provided with a probe. The probe has a pointed end portion coated with a total reflection film and a transparent electrically conductive film. The probe is attached to a cylindrical piezoelectric actuator via a metal frame. Thus, the probe is scanned along the surface of a sample, and the distance between the probe and the surface of the sample is controlled. The light emitted from the tip of the probe and transmitted through the sample is converged by a lens system and radiated on a photoelectrical conversion element. The output from the photoelectrical conversion element is processed by a signal processor, and the processed result is displayed on a display.

Abstract: An optical low-pass filter comprising a liquid crystal device or electrooptic device having a birefringent phenomenon and formed so as to be able to vary the birefringent amount of the incident light. This low-pass filter is favorably used to remove the Moire without so much reducing the resolving power in a television camera, electronic camera or fiberscope provided with a solid-state image sensor.

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 sensor comprises a tiny cantilever of a thin film having a detection region at its free end portion, a detector for detecting a displacement of the cantilever caused by material acting on the detecting region, and calculation unit for calculating an amount of the material acting on the detection region, based on the displacement of the cantilever which has been detected by the detector, thereby to measure the intensity of a particle-stream applied to the detection region or the thickness of a film formed on the detection region.

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: An apparatus for removing static electricity from charged articles existing in a clean space, particularly in a clean room for the production of semiconductor articles, includes a AC ionizer having a plurality of needle-like emitters disposed in a flow of clean air. A discharge end of each emitter is coated with a dielectric ceramic material. Opposite conductors are also included which are respectively positioned apart from the discharge end of each emitter by a predetermined distance. Each opposite conductor is grounded. Emitters of some of the discharge pairs are connected to a high voltage AC source having added thereto negative voltage bias to thereby form pseudo negative pole emitters, and emitters of the other discharge pairs are connected to a high voltage AC source having added thereto a more positive voltage bias relative to the negative voltage bias to thereby form pseudo positive pole emitters.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing static electricity from charged articles existing in a clean space, particularly in a clean room for the production of semiconductor devices, includes an AC ionizer having a plurality of needle-like emitters disposed in a flow of clean air. A discharge end of each emitter is coated with a dielectric ceramic material. Opposite conductors are also included which are respectively positiond apart from each emitter by a predetermined distance. A DC voltage (or voltages) is applied to the opposite conductors. By adjusting the DC voltage (or voltages), the positive and negative ion concentration generated by each emitter is controlled. Further, a bias voltage may be added to the DC to increase the ion concentration.

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: The memory device comprises a recording member in which perturbations are selectively formed, a probe for detecting the presence or absence of the perturbations, a first cantilever having the recording member at a forward end, and a second cantilever having the probe needle at a forward end. The probe is supported by the first and second cantilevers at a relative position in close proximity to and spaced from the recording member. Independent drive of the first and second cantilevers permits the probe to be scanned relatively across the recording member over a wide range.

Abstract: A scanning tunnel spectroscope comprises a generator for applying a bias voltage (V.sub.T) of a sin wave between a sample and probe, an I-V converter for converting a tunnel current flowing when the probe is set close to the sample, to a tunnel current representing voltage singal (I.sub.T), a detector for detecting the absolute value of the voltage signal (I.sub.t), and a servo circuit for servo-controlling a distance between the sample and probe using the absolute value with the servo time constant set larger than five times the period of the bias voltage. The information concerning the unevenness of the sample is obtained based on an output of the servo control means. A unit is provided for effecting the analog operation to derive a differential conductance based on the tunnel current on the real time basis and measuring the unevenness data and differential conductance between the sample and probe kept constant.

Abstract: A scanning tunnel microscope includes a piezo-actuator movable in a direction Z perpendicular to the surface of a sample and provided with a scanning probe projected downward from the bottom thereof. The scanning probe is moved in the direction Z by the piezo-actuator. The piezo-actuator includes a position measuring probe projected therefrom, parallel to the surface of the sample, from the lower end of one side thereof. A reference sample having concaves formed on a surface thereof at predetermined intervals is fixed to the piezo-actuator. When the scanning probe is moved in the direction Z, the position measuring probe is moved along the reference sample, so that tunnel current having a waveform which reproduces the shape of the concaved surface of the reference sample is detected. Thus, the moving distance of the scanning probe can be obtained from the waveform of tunnel current detected.

Abstract: Liquid crystal eyeglasses include a detector for detecting a physical quantity which varies with the temperature of the liquid crystal, the orientation of molecules of the liquid crystal or a change in the refractive index of the liquid crystal. The voltage applied to the liquid crystal is controlled in accordance with an output signal from the detector, thus compensating for a change in the refractive index of the liquid crystal which is attributable to a temperature change and maintaining the refractive index constant.

Abstract: A liquid crystal lens includes a liquid crystal cell formed by lens component members, at least one of the lens component members being formed of a Fresnel lens whose surface is formed by a number of annular ring-shaped Fresnel grooves with their crests leveled.

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.

Abstract: A three-dimensional tunnel memory device includes a multilayer Langmuir-Blodgett film wherein each layer can store or carry an electric charge. Charges are introduced into one side of the film in a time sequence corresponding to the information to be carried. An electric field is applied between the faces of the film to cause the charge stored by any layer to be transferred to the adjacent layer, and for thus reading out the sequence of charges stored by the film. The multilayer Langmuir-Blodgett film includes memory unit cells each comprising Langmuir-Blodgett films formed, respectively, of different kinds of organic compounds and contacting each other. Electric fields of different magnitudes are applied, respectively, to the film constituting each memory unit cell thereby allowing the stored charge in each film constituting the memory unit cell to hop the tunnel barrier.

Abstract: Liquid crystal eyeglasses include a detector for detecting a physical quantity which varies with the temperature of the liquid crystal, the orientation of molecules of the liquid crystal or a change in the refractive index of the liquid crystal. The voltage applied to the liquid crystal is controlled in accordance with an output signal from the detector, thus compensating for a change in the refractive index of the liquid crystal which is attributable to a temperature change and maintaining the refractive index constant.

Abstract: A liquid crystal spectacle includes a pair of liquid crystal lenses and a frame holding the lenses. The frame has a pair of temples and a pair of ear pieces attached individually to the temples. Each ear piece houses a battery for supplying the voltage to the corresponding lens. Each temple houses a regulator circuit for regulating the voltage supplied from the battery to the lens, thereby controlling the refractive index of the lens.

Abstract: An outer appearance quality inspection system comprising a mechanism for aligning objects to be inspected, a mechanism for transporting the aligned objects, light projectors for illuminating a light within a predetermined wavelength range against the objects being transported, light receiving devices for receiving the light reflected from each of the objects so as to convert the light into an electrical signal, an electronic circuit for obtaining the data representative of the conditions of the surfaces of the object in response to the electrical signal derived from the light receiving devices, and a mechanism for sorting the objects being transported in response to the data derived from the electronic circuit. The system can inspect the size, visible surface damages and coloring of an object such as orange automatically and reliably.

Abstract: An automatic locking device for an automobile door which can automatically lock a door a few seconds after the key is removed from the ignition switch and the door is closed. The device includes a key switch for detecting the insertion and removal of a key, a door switch for controlling the power source, and time-differential-type relays for operating an actuator.