Patent ID: 8353060

Claim:
A scanning probe microscope, comprising: a probe section having a cantilever and a probe fixed near a tip of the cantilever; probe section drive means for driving the probe section so that the probe scans a specimen surface by repeatedly being close to or in contact with the specimen surface and being apart from the specimen surface; displacement amount detection means for detecting a displacement amount of the probe section while the probe section drive means driving the probe; and signal processing means for acquiring shape information about the specimen surface based on the displacement amount of the probe section detected by the displacement amount detection means, wherein the probe section drive means includes: a drive section for independently driving the probe in three mutually-perpendicular axis directions; and a drive speed switch section for switching a responsiveness of the drive section, at least in one axis direction while the drive section drives the probe section, depending on the distance from the target point along the corresponding axis.