The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 21, 1995
Filed:
Mar. 18, 1994
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A microscope comprises a cantilever having a distal end equipped with an electrically conductive probe allowing current to flow and having a fine tip whose voltage is controllable, a position control mechanism for controlling position of a sample with respect to a base end of the cantilever, a small displacement measuring mechanism for measuring a deflection amount of the cantilever, and a deflection control mechanism for controlling deflection of the cantilever so as to adjust a distance between the fine tip of the probe and the sample. A method for measuring surfaces using this novel microscope comprises steps of: maintaining deflection of the cantilever at a constant value by using the small displacement measuring mechanism and the deflection control mechanism; applying a constant voltage between the electrically conductive probe and the sample; scanning the sample along surface of the sample with the probe, while a tunneling current is maintained at a constant value by using the position control mechanism; and measuring a control amount of the position control mechanism in a direction vertical to the sample and a control amount of the deflection control mechanism.