Patent ID: 8321960
Filing Date: 2012-11-27
Classification: G01Q

Abstract:
1. A scanning probe microscope including: a flexible cantilever provided with a probe; a light source for casting an illuminating light on the cantilever; and a detector for detecting light reflected from the illuminated cantilever, a displacement of the cantilever being determined based on position information of the reflected light obtained by the detector while the probe is scanning a surface of a sample, and the scanning probe microscope being characterized by comprising: a) a light-splitting means for extracting a separate beam of light on a path of the illuminating light from the light source to the cantilever; b) a light-detecting means for detecting an arrival position of the beam of light extracted by the light-splitting means; and c) a compensating means for recognizing a change in an emission angle of the light emitted from the light source according to information obtained with the light-detecting means, and for correcting, according to a magnitude of the aforementioned change, either the position information of the reflected light or data reflecting an irregularity or physical property of the sample surface obtained based on the position information.