Scanning Probe Microscope and Method of Observing Sample Using the Same
First Claim
1. A scanning probe microscope comprising a measurement probe having its interior embedded with a metal structure, a cantilever for supporting said measurement probe, cantilever drive means for driving said cantilever to scan said measurement probe three-dimensionally in relation to an inspection objective sample, displacement detection means for detecting a deformation of said cantilever, and near-field optical image acquisition means for generating near-field light rays between said measurement probe embedded with the metal structure and the surface of said inspection objective sample and acquiring a near-field optical image of the surface of said inspection objective sample.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Optical information and topographic information of the surface of a sample are measured at a nanometer-order resolution and with high reproducibility without damaging a probe and the sample by combining a nanometer-order cylindrical structure with a nanometer-order microstructure to form a plasmon intensifying near-field probe having a nanometer-order optical resolution and by repeating approach/retreat of the probe to/from each measurement point on the sample at a low contact force.
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Citations
20 Claims
- 1. A scanning probe microscope comprising a measurement probe having its interior embedded with a metal structure, a cantilever for supporting said measurement probe, cantilever drive means for driving said cantilever to scan said measurement probe three-dimensionally in relation to an inspection objective sample, displacement detection means for detecting a deformation of said cantilever, and near-field optical image acquisition means for generating near-field light rays between said measurement probe embedded with the metal structure and the surface of said inspection objective sample and acquiring a near-field optical image of the surface of said inspection objective sample.
- 12. A method of observing a sample by using a scanning probe microscope in which a cantilever for supporting a measurement probe having its interior embedded with a metal structure is driven to scan said measurement probe three-dimensionally in relation to an inspection objective sample, a deformation of said cantilever due to the three-dimensional scan is detected, and a near-field optical image of the surface of said inspection objective sample is acquired by using said measurement probe embedded with the metal structure.
Specification