Patent ID: 7562564
Filing Date: 2009-07-21
Classification: G01Q

Abstract:
1. A scanning probe microscope for observing a surface shape of a sample, comprising: sample table for supporting said sample put on said sample table; a probe; a probe holder to support said probe; a driving mechanism to drive said probe in a height direction with respect to said sample put on said sample table; a deflection detection sensor to detect a deflection amount of said probe; a controller to control said driving mechanism; and a processor to acquire a surface shape image of said sample by using deflection information of said probe detected by said deflection detection sensor; wherein said controller drives said probe by said driving mechanism to repeat approach/retraction with respect to said sample for each measurement point and controls the retraction amount by using the deflection information of said probe, and wherein said controller is configured to retract said probe with respect to said sample and, after detecting a transition from a state that said probe is adhered to said sample to a state that said probe is at a neutral position, an operation is carried out that includes stopping retraction of the probe and starting the probe to approach, with respect to said sample, toward the next measurement point to be executed.