Approach method for probe and sample in scanning probe microscope

• US 8,024,816 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2010
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Science Corporation (Hitachi High- Tech Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SII NanoTechnology Inc. (Hitachi High- Tech Corporation)
• Inventors: Shikakura, Yoshiteru, Watanabe, Masafumi, Iyoki, Masato
• Primary Examiner(s): Souw; Bernard E
• Application Number:
  US12/700,236
• Publication Number:
  US 20100205697A1
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 850 1- 3, 850/21, 850/22, 850/29, 850/33, 850/40, 850/52, 850/53, 850 61- 63, 250/306, 250/307, 250/310, 731/04, 731/05, 324/520, 324/690
• US Class Current: 850/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01Q 10/06 Circuits or algorithms therefor

Abstract

In detecting a displacement of a cantilever (2) by a displacement detecting mechanism (5) and allowing a probe (1) and a sample (8) to approach each other by at least one of a coarse-movement mechanism (13) and a vertical direction fine-movement mechanism (11) at the same time, an excitation mechanism (4) excites the cantilever (2) with a first excitation condition and the probe (1) and the sample (8) are allowed to approach each other with a first stop condition, and then the cantilever (2) is excited with a second excitation condition different from the first excitation condition, a second stop condition is set, and the probe (1) and the sample (8) are allowed to approach each other by the at least one of the vertical direction fine-movement mechanism (11) and the coarse-movement mechanism (13) until the second stop condition is satisfied.

Claims

1. An approach method for a probe and a sample in a scanning probe microscope,

the scanning probe microscope comprising:

a cantilever including the probe at a distal end thereof;

an excitation mechanism for exciting the cantilever;

a displacement detecting mechanism for detecting a displacement of the cantilever;

a vertical direction fine-movement mechanism for adjusting a distance between the probe and the sample placed at a position opposing the probe; and

a coarse-movement mechanism for allowing the probe and the sample to approach each other,

the approach method comprising, in detecting the displacement of the cantilever by the displacement detecting mechanism and allowing the probe and the sample to approach each other by at least one of the coarse-movement mechanism and the vertical direction fine-movement mechanism at the same time;

exciting the cantilever by the excitation mechanism with a first excitation condition and allowing the probe and the sample to approach each other with a first stop condition; and

exciting, after an approach operation with the first stop condition, the cantilever with a second excitation condition that is different from the first excitation condition, setting a second stop condition, and allowing the probe and the sample to approach each other by the at least one of the vertical direction fine-movement mechanism and the coarse-movement mechanism until the second stop condition is satisfied.

2. An approach method for a probe and a sample in a scanning probe microscope according to claim 1, wherein:

the first excitation condition for the cantilever is excitation at a frequency on a high frequency side of a first-order resonant frequency in a first-order resonance spectrum of the cantilever; and

any one of an amplitude, a phase, and a resonant frequency of the cantilever detected by the displacement detecting mechanism is set as the first stop condition.

3. An approach method for a probe and a sample in a scanning probe microscope according to claim 1, wherein:

the second excitation condition for the cantilever is excitation at a frequency on a low frequency side of a first-order resonant frequency in a first-order resonance spectrum of the cantilever; and

any one of an amplitude, a phase, and a resonant frequency of the cantilever detected by the displacement detecting mechanism is set as the second stop condition.

4. An approach method for a probe and a sample in a scanning probe microscope according to claim 1, wherein the second excitation condition is excitation at a frequency on a second- or higher-order resonance spectrum of the cantilever.

5. An approach method for a probe and a sample in a scanning probe microscope according to claim 1, wherein:

the scanning probe microscope further comprises;

at least one excitation condition setting means;

a first stop condition setting means; and

a second stop condition setting means; and

the approach method further comprises, in performing approach operations from a start of the approach operation for the probe and the sample to satisfaction of the second stop condition, setting at least one condition set by each of the at least one excitation condition setting means, the first stop condition setting means, and the second stop condition setting means at once or separately in a plurality of times to allow the probe and the sample to approach each other.

6. An approach method for a probe and a sample in a scanning probe microscope,

the scanning probe microscope comprising:

a cantilever including the probe at a distal end thereof;

an excitation mechanism for exciting the cantilever;

a displacement detecting mechanism for detecting a displacement of the cantilever;

a vertical direction fine-movement mechanism for adjusting a distance between the probe and the sample placed at a position opposing the probe; and

a coarse-movement mechanism for allowing the probe and the sample to approach each other,

the approach method comprising, in detecting the displacement of the cantilever by the displacement detecting mechanism and allowing the probe and the sample to approach each other by at least one of the coarse-movement mechanism and the vertical direction fine-movement mechanism at the same time;

exciting the cantilever by the excitation mechanism with a first excitation condition and allowing the probe and the sample to approach each other with a first stop condition; and

stopping, after an approach operation with the first stop condition, exciting the cantilever, setting a deflection amount of the cantilever detected by the displacement detecting mechanism as a second stop condition, and allowing the probe and the sample to approach each other by the at least one of the vertical direction fine-movement mechanism and the coarse-movement mechanism until the second stop condition is satisfied.

7. An approach method for a probe and a sample in a scanning probe microscope according to claim 6, wherein:

the scanning probe microscope further comprises;

at least one excitation condition setting means;

a first stop condition setting means; and

a second stop condition setting means; and

the approach method further comprises, in performing approach operations from a start of the approach operation for the probe and the sample to satisfaction of the second stop condition, setting at least one condition set by each of the at least one excitation condition setting means, the first stop condition setting means, and the second stop condition setting means at once or separately in a plurality of times to allow the probe and the sample to approach each other.