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:
Oct. 07, 1997
Filed:
Jul. 03, 1995
Akitoshi Toda, Kunitachi, JP;
Takeshi Konada, Tokyo, JP;
Olympus Optical Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A scanning probe microscope includes a probe having a minute aperture formed in a distal end thereof. The probe allows light to propagate therethrough and is located close to a sample. A moving device is provided for relatively moving the probe across a surface of the sample, and an observation optical system is provided for optically observing the sample. A light source emits a light beam for generating evanescent waves, and a beam irradiation device is provided for irradiating the light beam on the sample so that the light beam is totally reflected by an optical interface of the sample. The beam irradiation means and the observation optical system share an objective located on a side of the sample opposite to the probe. A light detecting device is provided for detecting an intensity of the light introduced into the probe through the aperture formed in the distal end of the probe.