Olympus Optical Company, Ltd.

Hiroko Ohta

Hiroshi Kajimura

Akitoshi Toda

Yoshiyuki Mimura

Toshihito Kouchi

Yasuo Isono

Ryouhei Shimizu

Takao Okada

Hirofumi Miyamoto

Tsugiko Takase

Shuzo Mishima

Yuzo Nakamura

Yasushi Satoh

Toshiaki Matsuzawa

Yoshimitsu Enomoto

A scanning tunneling microscope memory apparatus comprises first and second integrated circuit (IC) substrates. First and second cantilevers, which can be moved by piezoelectric elements, are arranged on the first and second IC substrates, respectively. Tunnel current probes are provided on a free end of the first cantilever, and a recording element is provided on a free end of the second cantilever. The first and second cantilevers are spaced from each other and overlap such that the tunnel current probes face the recording element. The first or second substrate includes a charge coupled device (CCD) circuit, a control circuit for controlling the CCD circuit and cantilevers, and a drive circuit having a preamplifier, a write circuit, and a servo circuit.

Memory apparatus using tunnel current techniques

An atomic force microscope comprises a probe having a sharply-pointed tip end. The probe is supported on the free end portion of a cantilever and is close to the surface of a specimen. When an interatomic force is produced, the cantilever is deformed, and the probe is displaced. The displacement of the probe is detected by an optical system. A light beam emitted from a light source is collimated by a lens, and reflected by a polarized beam-splitter, and also by a half-mirror. Then, the light beam passes through a quarter wavelength plate and an objective lens, such that the light is converged on the cantilever. The reflected light beam from the cantilever returns along the same optical path and passes through the splitter. The light beam is divided into two light beams at the splitter. These two light beams are reflected by respective prisms and are then incident on respective photodetectors. These photodetectors detect the displacement of the probe.

Atomic force microscope

An apparatus for forming a predetermined circuit pattern on a circuit substrate by using a .mu.-STM write head, the .mu.-STM write head comprising a write head substrate having a flat surface, a plurality of micro chip electrodes formed upright on the flat surface of the write head substrate and constituting a .mu.-STM, a level of a distal end of each of the chip electrodes being set to be constant, and scanning means for scanning the micro chip electrodes on the circuit substrate by moving the micro chip electrodes and the circuit substrate relative to each other in two-dimensional directions.

Circuit pattern forming apparatus using MU-STM

A micro scanning tunneling microscope ('STM') arithmetic circuit device comprises an information-rewritable micro STM recording medium and a micro STM recording apparatus which temporarily stores information on the recording medium such that the information can be read as a variation in a tunnel current. The recording apparatus has a probe (probes) for writing/reading information on the recording medium and a scanner for varying a relationship in position between the probe and the recording medium. The micro STM recording apparatus uses a recording medium having a specific format as the micro STM recording medium in which recorded information is read as a variation in a tunnel current. That is, the recording medium has an address area in which address information is recorded and a data area in which data information is recorded.

Apparatus including atomic probes utilizing tunnel current to read,

A memory device comprises a base plate with a memory element supporting layer, a probe with a pointed tip portion, and a fine scan element for causing the probe to scan over the surface of the memory element supporting layer. When the probe is approached to the surface of the memory element supporting layer and a suitable bias voltage is applied across the probe and the memory element supporting layer, a tunnel current is cause to flow therebetween and a specific region of the surface of the supporting layer is excited. The excited region can adsorb one molecule of, for example, di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate. By causing the memory element to be adsorbed selectively on the memory element supporting layer, data is recorded in the form of a projection-and-recess pattern. The recorded data can be read out by observing the surface configuration of the supporting layer in accordance with the principle of an STM (scanning tunneling microscope).

Memory device

A scanning tunneling microscope includes an observation optical system for optically observing the surface of an object. The optical system is fixed on an optical system fixing member. The optical system is moved in a direction (Z-direction) vertical to the surface of the object by means of a motor, whereby the focal point of the optical system is adjusted. An STM measurement probe supported by an optically transparent member is disposed between the optical system and the object. When the object is optically observed, the probe is displaced from the focal point by means of a micrometer. Thus, an optical observation image of the surface of the object, which is not affected by the shadow of the probe, can be obtained. When the STM measurement is carried out, a probe unit enables the probe to scan the surface of the object, and an STM image is obtained by a conventional method.

Scanning tunneling microscope

A data storage apparatus includes a first lever body having a piezoelectric driving section, and a second lever body which is disposed to separate from and to be perpendicular to the first lever body, and has a piezoelectric driving section. A recording medium is formed on a portion of the second lever body, and records desired data. A plurality of probes are disposed on a portion of the first lever body to oppose the recording medium at a predetermined interval, and detect a change in state at predetermined positions on the recording medium as a change in tunnel current or a change in three-dimensional pattern. A voltage applying circuit alternately applies predetermined voltages to the piezoelectric driving sections of the first and second lever bodies to separately drive the plurality of probes in different directions, thereby three-dimensionally scanning the recording medium.

Tunnel current data storage apparatus having separate lever bodies

A probe unit includes a disk-like substrate made of transparent material, a transparent electrode coated on all over the substrate, and a metal wire whose sharp tip is projected vertically and upwardly from the center of the substrate through the transparent electrode. The metal wire is made of Pt-Ir, which incudes a sharp tip projected from the upper surface of the substrate and a stem embedded in a hole of the electrode and fixed to the electrode and substrate by conductive adhesive.

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Hachioji, Japan

Hiroko Ohta