Scanning probe microscope

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9678104-B2
Application number	US-201614994925-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 13, 2016
Priority date	Mar 25, 2015
Publication date	Jun 13, 2017
Grant date	Jun 13, 2017

Abstract

A scanning probe microscope capable of controlling a decrease of the resolution of an objective lens disposed in the scanning probe microscope, and capable of easily carrying out the adjustment of an optical axis of an optical lever using the objective lens. The scanning probe microscope includes: a cantilever having a probe; a light source part radiating beams; a first reflective part reflecting an incident beam (L 0 ) and guiding the incident beam to a reflective surface; a light receiving part receiving the beams; a second reflective part reflecting a reflected beam (L 1 ) and guiding the reflected beam to the light receiving part; and an objective lens disposed to face the cantilever and adopted to observe and capture an area around the cantilever, the objective lens having the number of openings of NA, wherein the first reflective part is disposed at a position between the objective lens and the cantilever.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A scanning probe microscope, comprising:
a cantilever having a probe that is positioned close to a surface of a sample;
a light source part radiating beams;
a first reflective part reflecting an incident beam (L 0 ) radiated from the light source part and guiding the incident beam to a reflective surface installed at the cantilever;
a light receiving part receiving the beams;
a second reflective part reflecting a reflected beam (L 1 ) reflected from the reflective surface and guiding the reflected beam to the light receiving part; and
an objective lens disposed to face the cantilever and adopted to observe and capture an area around the cantilever, the objective lens having the number of openings of NA,
wherein the first reflective part is disposed at a position between the objective lens and the cantilever such that an angle (φ) between an optical path of the incident beam (L 0 ) reflected from the first reflective part, and an optical axis (O) of the objective lens is 0°<φ<θ, where θ is an opening angle (°), and NA=n·sinθ, n representing an index of refraction of a medium between the objective lens and the cantilever.

2. The scanning probe microscope as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first reflective part is disposed at a position that satisfies 3°≦φ≦10°.

3. The scanning probe microscope as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the second reflective part is disposed at a position between the objective lens and the cantilever such that an optical path of the reflected beam (L 1 ) reflected from the reflective surface, and the optical axis (O) of the objective lens is greater than θ.

4. The scanning probe microscope as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a radiation position adjusting mechanism adjusting a position, in which the incident beam (L 0 ) is radiated to the reflective surface, in such a manner as to adjust a position of the light source part by being connected to the light source part.

5. The scanning probe microscope as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a light receiving position adjusting mechanism adjusting a position, in which the reflected beam (L 1 ) is received in the light receiving part, in such a manner as to adjust a position of the light receiving part by being connected to the light receiving part.

6. The scanning probe microscope as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a sample stage on which the sample is placed, wherein the sample stage has a cantilever feed mechanism that can maintain one or more cantilevers.

7. The scanning probe microscope as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a sample stage on which the sample is put, wherein the sample stage is movable to be laid over the probe in the optical direction (O) upon measurement of the sample.

8. The scanning probe microscope as set forth in claim 7 , wherein the sample stage maintains the cantilever in a same direction as a direction upon the measurement, and the sample stage having an optical reflective surface for matching an optical axis of the incident beam with the cantilever and reflecting the incident beam (L 0 ).

Assignees

• Hitachi High-Tech Science Corp

Inventors

• Yamamoto Hiroyoshi

Classifications

• G01Q30/025

  Optical microscopes coupled with SPM · CPC title

• G01Q20/02 Primary

  by optical means · CPC title

• G01Q10/00 Primary

  Scanning or positioning arrangements, i.e. arrangements for actively controlling the movement or position of the probe · CPC title