Patent Number: 061005347
Section: claims

1. A microscopic area scanning apparatus provided with at least three hollow cylindrical piezoelectric elements each driven in three XYZ directions by one of divided electrodes, said microscopic area scanning apparatus comprising: three or more hollow cylindrical piezoelectric elements arranged on a circumference of a common plane;  a plurality of balls each axially provided at a free end of a respective one of the hollow cylindrical piezoelectric elements;  a plurality of ball retainers each rotatably and slidably holding a respective one of the balls in contact therewith;  a sample stage fixed to said ball retainers; and  a table for fixing said hollow cylindrical piezoelectric elements on the circumference of the common plane, said table being provided at a fixed end of said hollow cylindrical piezoelectric element. 2. A microscopic area scanning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said ball retainers has a recess having a bowl shape or a hole. 3. A microscopic area scanning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of said balls is formed by a permanent magnet or an electromagnet, each of said ball retainers is formed of a magnetic material, and each of said balls is rotatably and slidably held in said respective ball retainer in contact therewith by a magnetic force. 4. A microscopic area scanning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of said balls is formed by a magnetic member, each of said ball retainers is formed by a permanent magnet or an electromagnet, and each of said ball retainers rotatably and slidably holds therein said respective ball in contact therewith by a magnetic force. 5. A microscopic area scanning apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising pressure applying means for applying pressure to said balls. 6. A microscopic area scanning apparatus according to any one of claims 4-5, further comprising displacing error absorbing means for absorbing an error of displacement in a horizontal direction of the plurality of said hollow cylindrical piezoelectric elements. 7. A microscopic area scanning apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said displacing error absorbing means is formed by a ring member having a diameter greater than that of said sample stage, the ring member having a rigidity in radial direction thereof lower than that of said sample stage. 8. A microscopic area scanning apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said sample stage is inscriptively fixed to one inner point of said displacing error absorbing means. 9. A microscopic area scanning apparatus according to claim 8, wherein one of said ball retainers is fixed to a portion fixing said sample stage and said displacing error absorbing means, and the remaining ball retainers being fixed to the displacing error absorbing means. 10. A microscopic area scanning apparatus according to claim 9, wherein one or both of each of said balls and each of said ball retainers has a surface film formed of a soft metal or a solid lubricant.