Sii Nanotechnology Inc.

Masafumi Watanabe

Masatoshi Yasutake

Masato Iyoki

Yoshiteru Shikakura

Takeshi Umemoto

Kazunori Ando

Hiroumi Momota

Provided is a friction force microscope that can measure a friction force by a cantilever in a quantitative manner. The friction force microscope includes a friction force calculating mechanism that calculates an effective probe height and a torsional spring constant of the cantilever from bending sensitivity determined from displacement information in a bending direction of the cantilever and torsional sensitivity determined from displacement information in a torsional direction of the cantilever, respectively, so as to use the calculated values for calculating the friction force.

Friction force microscope

In a cantilever which is used in a scanning probe microscope or the like and has a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape formed through anisotropic etching in a silicon process, a cantilever spring constant is determined without measuring a thickness directly. A cantilever thickness is determined based on upper base and lower base lengths of the trapezoidal cross-sectional shape and geometric regularity of a surface generated by the anisotropic etching. Then, the cantilever spring constant is determined based on the cantilever thickness, a cantilever length, and a Young's modulus.

Method of determining a spring constant of a cantilever and scanning probe microscope using the method

In detecting a displacement of a cantilever () by a displacement detecting mechanism () and allowing a probe () and a sample () to approach each other by at least one of a coarse-movement mechanism () and a vertical direction fine-movement mechanism () at the same time, an excitation mechanism () excites the cantilever () with a first excitation condition and the probe () and the sample () are allowed to approach each other with a first stop condition, and then the cantilever () is excited with a second excitation condition different from the first excitation condition, a second stop condition is set, and the probe () and the sample () are allowed to approach each other by the at least one of the vertical direction fine-movement mechanism () and the coarse-movement mechanism () until the second stop condition is satisfied.

Approach method for probe and sample in scanning probe microscope

There is provided a scanning probe microscope employing a positioning apparatus Mincluding a unit to be driven in XY direction having a substantially square form in plane geometry at the center of the plane in the XY directions and having a first elastic support that bends in the X-axis direction at least on one side of the square form and a second elastic support that bends in the Y-axis direction at least on one side orthogonal to the side and a support unit that supports a stage unitin the XY directions such that the facing surface can face in parallel against the facing surface of the unit to be driven in the XY directions. The positioning apparatus has a space of a predetermined thickness between the surface corresponding to the unit to be driven in the XY directions at least and the facing surface of the support unit that faces against it, and the space is filled with a viscosity agent.

Positioning apparatus and scanning probe microscope employing the same

There is provided a sample manipulating apparatus which is an apparatus for manipulating a sample mounted on a substrate surface, in which at least position data and shape data are acquired by observing the sample. Thereafter, tweezers are positioned by moving means such that the sample is positioned between an observing probe and a grasping probe based on the two set of data. After positioning, a height of the tweezers is set to a position of being remote from the substrate surface by a constant distance by moving means while monitoring a result of measurement by displacement measuring means. Thereafter, the grasping probe is moved to a side of the observing probe while monitoring the result of measurement by the displacement measuring means at the set height and the sample is grasped while detecting a grasping start point.

Sample manipulating apparatus

A leaf springconstituting an elastic member one end of which is fixed to a foundation, and other end of which is brought into contact with a laminating type piezoelectric elementor a driven memberis constituted such that a thickness is thinned from a side of the foundationto a side of the laminating type piezoelectric elementto make a moment of inertia smaller on a side of a portion of other end held by the laminating type piezoelectric elementthan a portion on one end side fixed to the foundation. Further, a strain gage sensoris attached to a side faceof the leaf springconstituting one face of one end of the leaf springproximate to the laminating type piezoelectric elementorthogonal to a direction of elongating and contracting the laminating type piezoelectric elementconstituting a side of the driven member

Piezoelectric actuator and scanning probe microscope using the same

A scanning probe microscope is capable of radiating light on a sample without moving the sample from the scanning probe microscope and is capable of measuring the sample while controlling the conditions under which the sample is placed without changing the location of the sample. The scanning probe microscope includes a cantilever having a probe at a distal end thereof, a sample moving device for moving the sample, and a detection unit for detecting deflection of the cantilever using a laser beam. The detection unit is detachably mounted to the scanning probe microscope during measurement of the sample and is detachable from the microscope to enable radiation of the sample with light without changing the location of the sample.

Growing community of inventors

Chiba, Japan

Masafumi Watanabe