Patent ID: 6881954

Claim:
A scanning probe microscope comprising: a cantilever having a probe close to a sample surface; a single piezoelectric element provided with the cantilever for changing a distance between said probe and said sample; a displacement detection system for detecting displacement of said probe; a servo controller outputting a control signal for controlling the operation of said single piezoelectric element based on a detection signal output by the displacement detection system and a signal relating to a reference distance and holding a distance between said probe and said sample at said reference distance in measurement at a sampling position; a scanning piezoelectric element for performing a micrometer-class scanning; and a movement mechanism other than a piezoelectric element movement mechanism for performing a millimeter-class wide area scanning; wherein said probe scans said surface to measure said surface while holding the distance between said probe and said sample at said reference distance at each of a plurality of said sampling positions, and said probe scans the millimeter class wide area on said surface by said movement mechanism; said scanning probe microscope further comprising; an approaching and separating supplier for controlling the operation of said single piezoelectric element so as to make said probe approach to the sample surface for measurement at each of said sampling points and then make said probe separate from the sample surface, which outputs a periodic pulse signal for approach and separation; wherein said periodic pulse signal from said approaching and separating signal supplier is added to said signal relating to the reference distance produced by said servo controller; and wherein the state of the servo control by said servo controller is continued at least when said probe is made to approach the sample surface and during measurement at said sampling points in order to quickly perform wide measurement defined by a millimeter-class scan area.