Seiko Instruments Inc

Akira Egawa

Hiroshi Muramatsu

Norio Chiba

Takeshi Uchiyama

Tatsuya Miyatani

Katsunori Honma

Mitsuo Yarita

Kunio Nakajima

Noritaka Yamamoto

Katsunori Homma

Noritake Yamamoto

A dynamic amount sensor has a detecting circuit that detects a change in an electrostatic capacitance of each of electrostatic capacitance elements comprised of a movable electrode and a fixed electrode. A switching circuit switches the detecting circuit to first and second connecting states that detect changes in the electrostatic capacitance of the electrostatic capacitance elements in accordance with a change in an attitude of the movable electrode in corresponding first and second detecting axes directions. In the first and second connecting states, the detecting circuit includes circuits formed by connecting the electrostatic capacitance elements in series which change electrostatic capacitances symmetrically along with inclination of the movable electrode in the corresponding first and second detecting axes directions. A carrier wave applying circuit applies carrier waves whose phases are inverted from each other by 180&#xb0; to the electrostatic capacitance elements which are connected in series in the first and second connecting states of the detecting circuit.

Dynamic amount sensor

An angular velocity sensor amplifies a plurality of detection signals using one amplifying circuit and separates these detection signals after amplification. The angular velocity sensor detects displacements of a mass in the axial directions using x-, y- and z-axis detection circuits. A carrier wave whose phase is shifted 90&#xb0; from that of a carrier wave of the z-axis detection circuit is applied to the x- and y-axis detection circuits and outputs of the axis detection circuits are collectively inputted to a current/voltage conversion circuit which outputs a combined signal to three synchronous detection circuits that separate the signal into x-, y- and z-axis detection signal components. In the synchronous detection circuits, by applying phase division processing to the combined signal, the z-axis detection signal component is separated from cross axis detection signal components and by applying time division processing to the signal components based on switching timing of the carrier wave, the x- and y-axis detection signal components are separated from each other.

Angular velocity sensor having one amplifying circuit for amplifying plural detection signals

A scanning probe microscope comprises scanning control means for controlling raster scanning of an XYZ translator, and displacement detection means for detecting amount of displacement of the XYZ translator, and is configured so that of the two raster scanning axes, only displacement of the XYZ translator along a low frequency scanning axis is feedback controlled, displacement of the XYZ translator along a high frequency scanning axis is made larger than a region to be observed, and sampling of an amount of displacement of the XYZ translator starts at the same time as a relative position of a probe enters into the observation region.

Scanning probe microscope

A scanning probe microscope capable of producing high precision sample images repeatedly has a driving unit for driving a sample or probe relative to the other microscopically in X, Y and Z directions, displacement detectors for measuring displacement of the driving unit in each of the X, Y and Z directions, and an image correction unit for storing output values of the displacement detectors as a data array for each of the X, Y and Z directions, performing a correction process on the data arrays, and producing an image of the sample based on the corrected data. A controller controls a measuring unit and output values of the displacement detectors are supplied to an operation/display unit connected to the controller and then supplied to an image correction device for image correction.

A sample observation plate is provided which is smooth in a surface in molecular levels and cheap in price, thereby making feasible topological and optical observation in molecular levels. In a sample observation plate to be used on an apparatus for observation of topological and optical information in molecular levels, the sample observation plate is structured by bonding a crystalline thin film on a glass plate. Furthermore, using this sample observation plate, an observation apparatus is structured.

Sample observation plate and observation apparatus

A proximity field optical microscope is provided which can simultaneously conduct optical observation in the ultraviolet and infrared light ranges and conduct geometrical observation and detect other physical information, wherein a microscopic opening is stably and easily formed in a probe tip with low manufacturing cost and high yield. The microscope has an optical probe which comprises a tube having a tip portion formed with a smaller diameter than an overall diameter of the tube, an optically opaque material coated on the tube, an optical microscope opening formed at the tip portion, and an optical waveguide having at least two optical end surfaces, one end surface being inserted in the tube facing the microscopic opening.

Optical probe and method for manufacturing same and scanning proximity field optical microscope

In a method for sharpening a probe, a probe preform having a longitudinal axis is at least partially immersed in a mixture containing at least an etch solution and a non-etch solution having a lower specific gravity than and which is not miscible with the etch solution. The probe preform is moved in the mixture along the longitudinal axis thereof during etching at a speed which does not exceed a taper length forming speed for a probe preform which is not moved in the etch solution during etching. An end of the probe preform is etched into a sharp tapered tip having a taper angle greater than that obtained for the probe preform which is not moved during etching.

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Chiba, Japan

Akira Egawa