Seiko Instruments Inc

Agency of Industrial Science and Technology

Fumiki Sakai

Shigeru Wakiyama

Hiroshi Bando

Kazutoshi Watanabe

Masatoshi Yasutake

Toshihiko Sakuhara

Tatsuya Miyatani

Akira Inoue

Tetsuo Uchiyama

Hiroshi Murakami

Hiroshi Tokumoto

Chikara Miyata

Wataru Mizutani

Takashi Wakatsuki

An xy scanning unit produces a scanning signal along an x-direction and a scanning signal along a y-direction, which are determined by a contour of a sample to be monitored, scanning time of the x-direction, and a pixel number of the x-direction, supplied from a CPU. Then, the xy scanning unit outputs these scanning signals along the x-direction and the y-direction to a piezoelectric scanning apparatus. On the other hand, a second oscillator outputs a sine wave signal having a frequency determined by the scanning time of the x-direction and the pixel number of the x-direction to a second piezoelectric plate. A sample/hold circuit holds observation data of a probe at such timing after preselected time has passed since the output of the second oscillator becomes maximum, and then outputs the held observation data to a differential amplifier and a P.I control system. An output signal Q of the P.I control system is applied to a z-fine-moving electrode of the piezoelectric scanning apparatus, and also is converted into a digital signal by an A/D converter. This digital signal is stored into a memory in a sampling manner.

Sampling scanning probe microscope and sampling method thereof

The amount of deformations such as expansions or contractions of a substance caused in accordance with irradiation of cyclically interrupted monochromatic light is detected by either the changes in a tunnel current sensitive to the changing distance between a sample surface and a detection probe or the amount of changes in a probe fine feed mechanism keeping the tunnel current constant between a sample surface and a detection probe at all times, so that the absorption spectrum intrinsic to the substance relative to the irradiating optical energy according to its wavelength is measured to examine the optical properties of the substance.

Tunnel current detecting photo-acoustic spectrometer

A relative displacement control apparatus provides both coarse and extremely fine precise control over displacements between a sample and a detecting probe as required, e.g. in operations of optical instruments, analyzing instruments and scanning tunneling microscopes. This precise fine displacement is produced through a double-lever-action which is created substantially by means of an arm assembly preferably with a piezoelectric drive for precise displacement control, a support pivotally holding the arm assembly, a rigid arm fixed solidly atop the support and a pointed stop or 'foot' fixed in the proximity of the free end of the rigid arm.

Relative displacement control apparatus

The tunneling scanning microscope which is provided with a light source to irradiate a sample with light, particularly with light having one wavelength. The apparatus is used for the investigation of the surface structure of materials which have very low conductivity but increase their conductivities under light irradiation. In particular, the apparatus selectively provides an atomic image of an element of a compound in response to a selected wavelength.

Tunneling scanning microscope having light source

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Fumiki Sakai