Scanning probe microscope

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9689893-B2
Application number	US-201615168985-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2016
Priority date	Jun 2, 2015
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a scanning probe microscope including a cantilever, a three-dimensional moving mechanism moving a sample stage in three dimensions, and a measurement chamber sealed not to be exposed to external air. At least the cantilever, the sample stage, and the three-dimensional moving mechanism are accommodated in the measurement chamber. The measurement chamber is provided with a pair of guide rails used to transport the sample stage. The sample stage has an engagement portion. The three-dimensional moving mechanism is disposed in the vicinity of a predetermined position and between the guide rails. The three-dimensional moving mechanism can be moved to above the guide rails and below the guide rails. When the sample stage is transported to the predetermined position in a horizontal direction, the three-dimensional moving mechanism is lifted up to the bottom surface of the sample stage so that the scanning probe microscope can perform measurement.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A scanning probe microscope comprising:
a cantilever provided with a probe that approaches or comes in contact with a surface of a sample;
a sample stage that supports the sample thereon;
a three-dimensional moving mechanism that three-dimensionally moves the sample stage; and
a measurement chamber having an internal space that is sealed not to be exposed to external air,
wherein at least the cantilever, the sample stage, and the three-dimensional moving mechanism are accommodated in the measurement chamber,
wherein the measurement chamber includes: an introduction hole through which the sample stage is introduced into the measurement chamber; and a pair of guide rails that transport the sample stage introduced through the introduction hole to a predetermined position in the measurement chamber,
wherein the sample stage is provided with an engagement portion that is engaged with the guide rails and is installed to travel along the guide rails,
wherein the three-dimensional moving mechanism is installed in the vicinity of the predetermined position, is installed to move up above the guide rails and down below the guide rails between the pair of guide rails, and
wherein when the sample stage is transported to the predetermined position, the three-dimensional moving mechanism is lifted from below the guide rails and mounted to a bottom surface of the sample stage so that measurement of the sample is performed.

2. The scanning probe microscope according to claim 1 , wherein the sample stage is equipped with a transport engagement portion having a front surface and a back surface distanced from each other in a traveling direction of the sample stage, and
wherein the measurement chamber is equipped with a transporting mechanism that moves forward and backward in the traveling direction of the sample stage within the measurement chamber by being manipulated from an outside of the measurement chamber, and that is loosely inserted and engaged with the transport engagement portion between the front surface and the back surface of the transport engagement portion, to transport the sample stage.

3. The scanning probe microscope according to claim 1 , further comprising a coarse adjustment mechanism that is coupled to a lower part of the three-dimensional moving mechanism and moves in the vertical direction in a greater range than the three-dimensional moving mechanism,
wherein the three-dimensional moving mechanism is moved in the vertical direction with use of the vertical movement of the coarse adjustment mechanism to be lifted above the guide rails or to be lowered below the guide rails.

4. The scanning probe microscope according to claim 2 , further comprising a coarse adjustment mechanism that is coupled to a lower part of the three-dimensional moving mechanism and moves in the vertical direction in a greater range than the three-dimensional moving mechanism,
wherein the three-dimensional moving mechanism is moved in the vertical direction with use of the vertical movement of the coarse adjustment mechanism to be lifted above the guide rails or to be lowered below the guide rails.

5. The scanning probe microscope according to claim 1 , further comprising a sample cover that is placed on a top surface of the sample stage to seal and isolate the sample from external air,
wherein the measurement chamber is equipped with a cover attachment-and-detachment mechanism that is manipulated from an outside of the measurement chamber, is installed to move in the vertical direction in the measurement chamber, and is connected in a bayonet connection manner to the sample cover to detach the sample cover from the sample stage in the measurement chamber.

6. The scanning probe microscope according to claim 2 , further comprising a sample cover that is placed on a top surface of the sample stage to seal and isolate the sample from external air,
wherein the measurement chamber is equipped with a cover attachment-and-detachment mechanism that is manipulated from an outside of the measurement chamber, is installed to move in the vertical direction in the measurement chamber, and is connected in a bayonet connection manner to the sample cover to detach the sample cover from the sample stage in the measurement chamber.

7. The scanning probe microscope according to claim 3 , further comprising a sample cover that is placed on a top surface of the sample stage to seal and isolate the sample from external air,
wherein the measurement chamber is equipped with a cover attachment-and-detachment mechanism that is manipulated from an outside of the measurement chamber, is installed to move in the vertical direction in the measurement chamber, and is connected in a bayonet connection manner to the sample cover to detach the sample cover from the sample stage in the measurement chamber.

8. The scanning probe microscope according to claim 4 , further comprising a sample cover that is placed on a top surface of the sample stage to seal and isolate the sample from external air,
wherein the measurement chamber is equipped with a cover attachment-and-detachment mechanism that is manipulated from an outside of the measurement chamber, is installed to move in the vertical direction in the measurement chamber, and is connected in a bayonet connection manner to the sample cover to detach the sample cover from the sample stage in the measurement chamber.

9. The scanning probe microscope according to claim 1 , wherein the measurement chamber includes: a main chamber that accommodates the cantilever, the sample stage, and the three-dimensional moving mechanism; and a sample introduction chamber having the introduction hole, has a smaller internal volume than the main chamber, and is installed to communicate with the main chamber, and
wherein the guide rails continuously extend from the sample introduction chamber to the main chamber.

10. The scanning probe microscope according to claims 2 , wherein the measurement chamber includes: a main chamber that accommodates the cantilever, the sample stage, and the three-dimensional moving mechanism; and a sample introduction chamber having the introduction hole, has a smaller internal volume than the main chamber, and is installed to communicate with the main chamber, and
wherein the guide rails continuously extend from the sample introduction chamber to the main chamber.

11. The scanning probe microscope according to claim 3 , wherein the measurement chamber includes: a main chamber that accommodates the cantilever, the sample stage, and the three-dimensional moving mechanism; and a sample introduction chamber having the introduction hole, has a smaller internal volume than the main chamber, and is installed to communicate with the main chamber, and
wherein the guide rails continuously extend from the sample introduction chamber to the main chamber.

12. The scanning probe microscope according to claim 4 , wherein the measurement chamber includes: a main chamber that accommodates the cantilever, the sample stage, and the three-dimensional moving mechanism; and a sample introduction chamber having the introduction hole, has a smaller internal volume than the main chamber, and is installed to communicate with the main chamber, and
wherein the guide rails continuously extend from the sample introduction chamber to the main chamber.

13. The scanning probe microscope according to claim 5 , wherein the measurement chamber includes: a main chamber that accommodates the cantilever, the sample stage, and the three-dimensional moving mechanism; and a sample introduction chamber having the introduction hole, has a smaller internal vol

Assignees

• Hitachi High-Tech Science Corp

Inventors

• Ando Kazunori

Classifications

• H01J37/261

  Details · CPC title

• G01Q30/16 Primary

  Vacuum environment · CPC title

• G01Q30/12

  Fluid environment · CPC title

• G01Q10/065 Primary

  Feedback mechanisms, i.e. wherein the signal for driving the probe is modified by a signal coming from the probe itself · CPC title

• G01Q30/06

  for error compensation · CPC title