SCANNING PROBE MICROSCOPE AND CANTILEVER MOVING METHOD

• US 20190317124A1
• Filed: 02/25/2019
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
• Original Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
• Inventors: IIDA, Eiji
• Granted Patent: US 10,794,931 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01Q 10/045 Self-actuating probes, i.e. wherein the actuating means for driving are part of the probe itself, e.g. piezoelectric means on a cantilever probe
• CPC Class Codes: G01Q 10/065 Feedback mechanisms, i.e. wherein the signal for driving the probe is modified by a signal coming from the probe itself
• CPC Class Codes: G01Q 20/02 by optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01Q 20/04 Self-detecting probes, i.e. wherein the probe itself generates a signal representative of its position, e.g. piezoelectric gauge
• CPC Class Codes: G01Q 30/14 Liquid environment

Abstract

When a liquid surface is detected based on a detection signal from a photodetector during the approaching operation, a photodetector movement processor moves the photodetector to a position where reflected light from a cantilever is incident with the cantilever being in liquid. When the reflected light from the cantilever is incident on the photodetector during the approaching operation continued after the movement of the photodetector by the photodetector movement processor, an optical axis adjustment processor adjusts an optical axis of the reflected light incident on the photodetector. When a surface of a solid sample is detected based on a detection signal from the photodetector during the approaching operation continued after the adjustment of the optical axis by the optical axis adjustment processor, an approaching processor stops the approaching operation.

Claims

1. A scanning probe microscope, comprising:

a cantilever that moves along a surface of a solid sample;

a light irradiator that irradiates the cantilever with light;

a photodetector that is provided movably and receives reflected light from the cantilever;

an approaching processor that performs approaching operation by bringing the cantilever close to a solid sample placed in liquid;

a photodetector movement processor that moves the photodetector to a position where reflected light from the cantilever is incident with the cantilever being in liquid when a liquid surface is detected based on a detection signal from the photodetector during the approaching operation; and

an optical axis adjustment processor that adjusts an optical axis of reflected light incident on the photodetector when the reflected light from the cantilever is incident on the photodetector during the approaching operation continued after the movement of the photodetector by the photodetector movement processor,

wherein

when a surface of a solid sample is detected based on a detection signal from the photodetector during the approaching operation continued after the adjustment of an optical axis by the optical axis adjustment processor, the approaching processor stops the approaching operation.

2. The scanning probe microscope according to claim 1, wherein the approach processor stops movement of the cantilever during the adjustment of an optical axis by the optical axis adjustment processor.

3. The scanning probe microscope according to claim 1, further comprising a position calculation processor that calculates a position of the photodetector on which reflected light from the cantilever is incident with the cantilever being in liquid,

wherein the photodetector movement processor moves the photodetector to the position calculated by the position calculation processor.

4. A cantilever moving method that uses a scanning probe microscope including a cantilever that is moved along a surface of a solid sample, a light irradiator that irradiates the cantilever with light, and a photodetector that receives reflected light from the cantilever, the cantilever moving method comprising:

an approaching step for performing approaching operation by bringing the cantilever close to a solid sample placed in liquid;

a photodetector moving step for moving the photodetector to a position where reflected light from the cantilever is incident with the cantilever being in liquid when a liquid surface is detected based on a detection signal from the photodetector during the approaching operation; and

an optical axis adjusting step for adjusting an optical axis of reflected light incident on the photodetector when the reflected light from the cantilever is incident on the photodetector during the approaching operation continued after the movement of the photodetector by the photodetector moving step,

wherein

when a surface of a solid sample is detected based on a detection signal from the photodetector during the approaching operation continued after the adjustment of an optical axis by the optical axis adjusting step, the approaching step stops the approaching operation.

5. The cantilever moving method according to claim 4, wherein in the approaching step, movement of the cantilever is stopped during the adjustment of an optical axis by the optical axis adjusting step.

6. The cantilever moving method according to claim 4, further comprising a position calculating step for calculating a position of the photodetector on which reflected light from the cantilever is incident with the cantilever being in liquid,

wherein in the photodetector moving step, the photodetector is moved to the position calculated by the position calculating step.