Patent ID: 8108942

Claim:
A probe microscope comprising: a cantilever having a probe that comes into contact with a measured object; a displacement detecting optical system configured to detect a displacement of the cantilever; and an observation optical system configured to observe the measured object, and being configured to observe a surface geometry of the measured object by scanning a surface of the measured object with the probe and detecting the displacement of the cantilever which swings according to the surface geometry of the measured object, the displacement detecting system including: a first light source configured to irradiate the cantilever with light; and a displacement detecting unit configured to detect the displacement of the cantilever by receiving the light emitted from the first light source and reflected from the cantilever, and the observation optical system including: a second light source configured to irradiate the measured object with light; an image forming lens configured to form an image of the light emitted from the second light source and reflected from the measured object at a predetermined position; and an observing unit configured to observe the measured object by receiving the light formed by the image forming lens, said probe microscope further comprising: an objective lens disposed between the cantilever and the first and second light sources and having a focal point at a position of the cantilever; and an optical path changing unit configured to change an optical path of the light emitted from the second light source and reaches the observing unit.