Patent ID: 6097197
Filing Date: 2000-08-01
Classification: B82Y,G01Q,Y10S

Abstract:
A scanning probe microscope for examining an electrical characteristic of a sample surface, comprising:a conductive probe provided close to the sample surface;a cantilever, having a free end, for supporting the probe on the free end thereof;scanning means for scanning the probe over the sample surface;AC voltage applying means for applying an AC voltage between o the probe and the sample surface;displacement detecting means for detecting a displacement of the free end of the cantilever and for outputting displacement data;electrical characteristic data obtaining means for obtaining electrical characteristic data from the displacement data;displacement component obtaining means for obtaining a displacement component of the cantilever, substantially caused by van der Waals force acting on the probe, from the displacement data;control means for controlling a distance between a top end of the probe and the sample surface based on said displacement component obtained by said displacement component obtaining means; anddata processing means for mapping the electrical characteristic data and an output from said control means, referring to position data output by said scanning means, in order to produce an electrical characteristic distribution image and a configuration image of the sample surface;wherein:said AC voltage applying means includes an AC voltage supply unit for generating a sinewave AC voltage, andsaid displacement component obtaining means comprises double angular frequency component obtaining means for obtaining a double angular frequency component having an angular frequency twice as high as that of the AC voltage supply unit from the displacement data, a DC component obtaining means for obtaining a DC component from the displacement data, and subtracting means for subtracting the double angular frequency component from the DC component.