Abstract: A method of measuring a surface shape of a target surface, and a lens manufacturing process for manufacturing a lens having a surface shape figured to high-precision. The method and process includes the steps of first, interferometrically measuring the surface shape of the target surface or the lens surface. Then second, measuring a surface shape of a prototype target surface. Then third, determining a rotationally symmetric error component of the difference between the target surface shape or the lens surface shape and the prototype target surface shape. Then fourth, expressing the rotationally symmetric error as a sum of two components, one being slowly varying and the other being a remainder. The slowly varying component is at least determined by performing the third step, while the remainder component is determined by performing the first step.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cantilever for separately observing a temperature profile of a surface of a sample and the topography thereof. The cantilever of the present invention comprises a support, a flexible plate one end of which is supported by the support, and a probe provided at the tip of the flexible plate, in which a thermocouple is provided in the probe.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an X-direction piezoelectric driving member expandable in the X direction upon application of a voltage, and a Y-direction piezoelectric driving member expandable in the Y direction upon application of a voltage. One end of the X-direction piezoelectric driving member is flexibly connected to a frame via a hinge, and the other end of the member is firmly connected to a block. One end of the Y-direction piezoelectric driving member is flexibly connected to the frame via a hinge, and the other end of the member is flexibly connected to the block via a hinge. A probe can be scanned by using this scanning mechanism without causing much fluctuations of the optical axis of a light beam used for the atomic force microscope.

Abstract: A high resolution scanning probe type microscope capable for simultaneous observation of the optical images of a sample and the probe tip. The microscope has a construction in which the probe and the optical microscope are supported with separate supporting members and the probe is disposed inside the visual field of the optical microscope. The supporting members of the probe and the optical microscope are installed on a vibration-proof table, and the supporting member for the probe has a double-end-supported type beam construction.

Abstract: A compound type microscope is provided which can observe the measurement sample of an atomic force microscope (AFM) by means of an optical microscope. This compound type microscope is comprised of an optical microscope having an objective and an observation optical system, a cantilever having a reflecting surface and detecting an atomic force, an irradiating optical system for applying a spotlight to the cantilver, a detector for detecting the displacement of reflected light caused by the displacement of the cantilever, and a sample stage for placing a sample thereon. The arrangement can be designed to accommodate the use of a scanning tunnel type microscope (STM) interchangeably with the AFM so that the sample can be measured by the STM instead of by the AFM. To this end, the probe of the STM can be detachably mountable coaxially with respect to the objective of the optical microscope, whereby the probe of the STM and the cantilever of the AFM can be selectively disposed below the objective.

Abstract: A scanning probe microscope, capable of achieving a resolving power of atomic level, is provided with a probe microscope unit 5, 6, 17 for measuring a fine constitution of sample surface with a probe 5, and with an optical microscope unit 8, 10-16 for observing an optical image of sample, in which the probe microscope unit is encased in a box 9 shielded against external noises and electromagnetic waves. The box has a shape of a cone such as triangular cone, which is placed on a triangular surface plate.