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:
Feb. 27, 2001
Filed:
Mar. 10, 1998
Eisuke Tomita, Chiba, JP;
Seiko Instruments Inc., , JP;
Abstract
A scanning near-field optical microscope has an optical waveguide probe, a vibration device having a piezoelectric vibrating body and an AC voltage generator for vibrating the probe relative to a surface of a sample. A vibration detecting device has a quartz oscillator and a current/voltage amplifier circuit for detecting vibration of the probe. A resilient body biases the probe into pressure contact with the quartz oscillator. A coarse displacement device effects coarse displacement of the probe to bring the probe close to the surface of the sample. An optical detection device has lenses and a photodetector for detecting light from the sample. A sample-to-probe distance control device has a fine displacement adjustment device and a servo circuit for effecting fine displacement of the probe in the Z direction. A two-dimensional scanning device having a fine displacement device and a scanning circuit scan the probe in X and Y directions. A data processing device converts a measurement signal from the photodetector into a three-dimensional image.