Abstract: The present invention provides a scanning probe microscope cantilever comprising a support portion, a lever portion extended from the support portion, and a needle projecting out of a first surface of the cantilever in the vicinity of a free end of the lever portion. From a second surface of the cantilever opposite the first surface, a bore extends through the needle to an aperture formed at a tip of the needle. To the tip of the needle, a substantially globular particle is attached. A method of scanning a sample surface comprises creating relative cantilever motion substantially toward the sample such that the particle experiences a contact force with the sample, illuminating a top surface of the cantilever with laser light such that a portion of the laser light passes through the hollow needle and is emitted from the aperture onto the particle, and detecting scattered light from the sample.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for enhancing the electron transport property measurements of a molecule when the molecule is placed between chemically functionalized carbon-based nanoscopic electrodes to which a suitable voltage bias is applied. The invention includes selecting a dopant atom for the nanoscopic electrodes, the dopant atoms being chemically similar to atoms present in the molecule, and functionalizing the outer surface and terminations of the electrodes with the dopant atoms.

Abstract: A scanning probe microscope system comprising a hollow probe 3, a tube 4 connected to a rear end 32 of the hollow probe 3, a support table 1 provided under the hollow probe 3, and a substrate 2 and a means 5 for washing the hollow probe 3 that are fixed to the support table 1, a sample S passing through the tube 4 and the hollow probe 3, and the substrate 2 and the washing means 5 being moved by the support table 1 such that each of them opposes the hollow probe 3.

Abstract: A first thermal buffer layer and a second thermal buffer layer are arranged between a recording medium and an actuator structure. The heat conductivity of the first thermal buffer layer is set low and the heat conductivity of the second thermal buffer layer is set high. Most of the heat generated from a coil wiring of the actuator structure is blocked by the first thermal buffer layer, and heat leaked from the first thermal buffer layer is diffused by the second thermal buffer layer. Temperature distribution on the recording medium is made uniform, and thus, a configuration wherein the recording medium and the actuator structure are placed one over another can be provided, information reading accuracy or information recording stability can be improved and the sizes of an information storage device can be reduced.

Abstract: In a two-dimensional probe array, an interval between the leading ends of probes adjacent to each other in an X direction is made shorter than that between the leading ends of probes adjacent to each other in a Y direction. Thus, the leading ends of the probes are arranged to form a lattice wherein many rectangles are arranged. Furthermore, the lowest resonance frequency of an actuator which moves a recording medium in the X direction is set higher than the lowest resonance frequency of an actuator which moves the recording medium in the Y direction. At the time of recording or reading information, the recording medium is reciprocated in the X direction at a frequency substantially equal to the lowest resonance frequency of the actuator.

Abstract: A scanning probe microscope probe is produced by depositing a raw-material film on the surface of a cone made of Si, etc. and growing a needle-like crystal by using the raw-material film by irradiating an energy beam to a point on the cone at a predetermined distance along the side surface from the cone tip under such conditions as not to melt the cone. Also, a charge density wave quantum phase microscope is provided which uses a probe made of a charge density wave crystal. Also, a charge density wave quantum interferometer is provided which uses the needle-like crystal formed from the charge density wave crystal. Also, the scanning probe microscope probe is formed from a pressure-induced superconducting substance.

Abstract: A probe for a scanning device having an anode, a cathode, and an organic material. The organic material is positioned between the anode and the cathode. The organic material is operable for at least one of emitting and detecting light by an electrical bias applied between the anode and the cathode.

Abstract: An optical system suitable for use in an optical instrument such as a handheld optical probe, the optical system including a scanning element and an objective, the objective including a variable focus lens that can be electronically controlled to change the focal length of the optical system. In some embodiments, the optical system can axially and laterally scan a subject material by sequentially focusing at an axial depth using the variable focus lens and laterally scanning the material at that depth using the scanning element.