EP0338083A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Scanning tunneling microscope with means for correcting surface data
Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
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Filing: 1988-09-22
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-09-22
Abstract
Abstract A surface analyzer has a probe (1) which, while scanning the surface of a sample (2), is held close to the surface and so controlled by servo means that the current flowing between the probe (1) and the sample (2) becomes equal to a set value. Drive signals of the servo means are used to obtain information on the surface of the sample. This analyzer further includes means (11, 12) for correcting the obtained information by using the difference between the current value and the current value measured during the surface scanning with the probe (1). ABSTRACT: In an apparatus for measuring texture and characterization of the surface of a sample on the basis of the drive signal of a servo control means by allowing a probe-tip (1) to approach the sample (2) and subjecting the probe-tip (1) to servo control so that a current, which is generated by moving the probe-tip (1) on the sample surface and flows between the probe-tip (1) and the sample (2), becomes constant, the present invention discloses a surface metrological apparatus comprising means (11, 12) for correcting the texture and characterization of the sample by use of a current error of the measured value of the current described above from the set current value.
Inventors
- 👤 Sumio Hosaka
- 👤 Shigeyuki Hosoki
- 👤 Keiji Takata
- 👤 Masatoshi Ohtake
- 👤 Hiroshi Tooyama
- 👤 Hitoshi Kondou
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 16:06
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01Q; G01Q10/00; G01Q10/02; B; B82; B82Y; B82Y10/00; B82Y35/00; G01Q10/04; G01Q10/06; G01Q30/00; G01Q30/04; G01Q30/06; G01Q60/00; G01Q60/10; G01Q60/16; G11; G11B; G11B11/00; G11B11/002; G11B11/005; G11B11/007; G11B9/00; G11B9/12; G11B9/14; G11B9/1418; G11B9/1427; G11B9/1436; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S977/00; Y10S977/84; Y10S977/849; Y10S977/852
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
123 words
A surface metrological apparatus for obtaining texture and characterization based on: a probe-tip; means for supporting a sample; means for allowing said probe-tip to approach said sample; means for supplying a current between said probe-tip and said sample with a potential difference between them; means for measuring said current; means for moving said probe-tip by scanning on the surface of said sample; servo means for servo-controlling the gap between said probe-tip and said sample so that the measured current value attains a predetermined current reference value; and control signals of said servo means; comprising means for correcting said texture and characterization by use of current fluctuation of said measured current value from said current reference value generated by scanning movement of said probe-tip.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
123 words
A surface metrological apparatus for obtaining texture and characterization based on: a probe-tip; means for supporting a sample; means for allowing said probe-tip to approach said sample; means for supplying a current between said probe-tip and said sample with a potential difference between them; means for measuring said current; means for moving said probe-tip by scanning on the surface of said sample; servo means for servo-controlling the gap between said probe-tip and said sample so that the measured current value attains a predetermined current reference value; and control signals of said servo means; comprising means for correcting said texture and characterization by use of current fluctuation of said measured current value from said current reference value generated by scanning movement of said probe-tip.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
A surface metrologic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said current is a tunnel current or field emission current.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
136 words
A surface metrological apparatus including: three-dimensional driving means including horizontal scanning means, vertical scanning means and fine actuator for height, for changing the relative position between a sample and a probe-tip; means for applying a voltage between said probe-tip and said sample; means for controlling said fine actuator for height so that a current flowing through said probe-tip becomes constant; and means for displaying the surface condition of said sample on the basis of a fine vertical movement distance of said fine actuator for height; comprising: rough actuator for height, for controlling roughly the distance between said sample and said probe-tip; means for extracting a low frequency component of the drive signal of said fine actuator for height; and means for using said low frequency component as the drive signal of said rough actuator for height.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
136 words
A surface metrological apparatus including: three-dimensional driving means including horizontal scanning means, vertical scanning means and fine actuator for height, for changing the relative position between a sample and a probe-tip; means for applying a voltage between said probe-tip and said sample; means for controlling said fine actuator for height so that a current flowing through said probe-tip becomes constant; and means for displaying the surface condition of said sample on the basis of a fine vertical movement distance of said fine actuator for height; comprising: rough actuator for height, for controlling roughly the distance between said sample and said probe-tip; means for extracting a low frequency component of the drive signal of said fine actuator for height; and means for using said low frequency component as the drive signal of said rough actuator for height.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
139 words
A surface metrological apparatus including: three-dimensional driving means including horizontal scanning means, vertical scanning means and fine actuator for height, for changing the relative position between a sample and a probe-tip; means for applying a voltage between said probe-tip and said sample; means for controlling said fine actuator for height so that a current flowing through said probe-tip becomes constant; and means for displaying the surface condition of said sample on the basis of a fine vertical movement distance of said fine actuator for height; comprising: rough actuator for height, for controlling roughly the distance between said sample and said probe-tip; a two-dimensional memory for storing the change of the distance between said probe-tip and said sample or an anticipated error; and means for forward controlling said rough actuator for height on the basis the output from said memory.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
139 words
A surface metrological apparatus including: three-dimensional driving means including horizontal scanning means, vertical scanning means and fine actuator for height, for changing the relative position between a sample and a probe-tip; means for applying a voltage between said probe-tip and said sample; means for controlling said fine actuator for height so that a current flowing through said probe-tip becomes constant; and means for displaying the surface condition of said sample on the basis of a fine vertical movement distance of said fine actuator for height; comprising: rough actuator for height, for controlling roughly the distance between said sample and said probe-tip; a two-dimensional memory for storing the change of the distance between said probe-tip and said sample or an anticipated error; and means for forward controlling said rough actuator for height on the basis the output from said memory.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
121 words
A surface metrological apparatus including: three-dimensional driving means including horizontal scanning means, vertical scanning means and fine actuator for height, for changing the relative position between a sample and a probe-tip; means for applying a voltage between said probe-tip and said sample; means for controlling said fine actuator for height so that a current flowing through said probe-tip becomes constant; and means for obtaining physical parameters of the surface of said sample digitizing and data processing a fine vertical movement distance of said probe-tip in a digitization circuit; comprising: means for applying that component of said fine vertical movement distance of said actuator for height which changes gently with respect to time as an offset application voltage of said digitization circuit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
121 words
A surface metrological apparatus including: three-dimensional driving means including horizontal scanning means, vertical scanning means and fine actuator for height, for changing the relative position between a sample and a probe-tip; means for applying a voltage between said probe-tip and said sample; means for controlling said fine actuator for height so that a current flowing through said probe-tip becomes constant; and means for obtaining physical parameters of the surface of said sample digitizing and data processing a fine vertical movement distance of said probe-tip in a digitization circuit; comprising: means for applying that component of said fine vertical movement distance of said actuator for height which changes gently with respect to time as an offset application voltage of said digitization circuit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
63 words
A surface metrological apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein automatic approaching means for allowing the tip of said probe-tip to approach said sample to within the movable range of said fine actuator by use of said rough actuator for height operates in such a manner that the position of said probe-tip is set to a predetermined point of said movable range.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
A surface metrological apparatus according to any of claims 3 through 5, which further comprises a circuit for obtaining the absolute value of the current flowing through said probe-tip.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
144 words
A surface metrological apparatus including: three-dimensional driving means including horizontal scanning means, vertical scanning means and height driving means, for changing the relative position between a sample and a probe-tip; control means for applying a drive signal and controlling said height driving means so that the physical parameters detected by said probe-tip become constant; and means for obtaining the information on the surface of said sample on the basis of the drive signal of said height driving means; wherein said height driving means consists of coarse movement means and fine movement means, and said control means includes means for dividing said drive signal into a high frequency component and a low frequency component, means for driving said coarse movement means on the basis of said low frequency component and means for driving said fine movement means on the basis of said high frequency component.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
144 words
A surface metrological apparatus including: three-dimensional driving means including horizontal scanning means, vertical scanning means and height driving means, for changing the relative position between a sample and a probe-tip; control means for applying a drive signal and controlling said height driving means so that the physical parameters detected by said probe-tip become constant; and means for obtaining the information on the surface of said sample on the basis of the drive signal of said height driving means; wherein said height driving means consists of coarse movement means and fine movement means, and said control means includes means for dividing said drive signal into a high frequency component and a low frequency component, means for driving said coarse movement means on the basis of said low frequency component and means for driving said fine movement means on the basis of said high frequency component.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
192 words
A surface metrological apparatus including: probe-tip moving means for supporting at least one of a probe-tip and a sample by a plurality of moving means and for changing the relative position between said sample and said probe-tip; and detection means for detecting the physical parameters corresponding to the gap between said probe-tip and said sample; wherein said plurality of moving means include first moving means for preventing the impingement between said probe-tip and said sample and second moving means for coarsely changing the relative position between said sample and said probe-tip, said first moving means keeps constant the gap between said probe-tip and said sample by a servo control circuit using the physical parameters detected from said detection means, said second moving means is driven by a driving circuit which stops the driving operation by detecting the physical parameter having a set value set in advance, said servo control circuit being operated while said second moving means is being operated, and the moving quantity due to the delay of response of said second moving means after detection of said physical parameter having a set value being reduced by said first moving means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
192 words
A surface metrological apparatus including: probe-tip moving means for supporting at least one of a probe-tip and a sample by a plurality of moving means and for changing the relative position between said sample and said probe-tip; and detection means for detecting the physical parameters corresponding to the gap between said probe-tip and said sample; wherein said plurality of moving means include first moving means for preventing the impingement between said probe-tip and said sample and second moving means for coarsely changing the relative position between said sample and said probe-tip, said first moving means keeps constant the gap between said probe-tip and said sample by a servo control circuit using the physical parameters detected from said detection means, said second moving means is driven by a driving circuit which stops the driving operation by detecting the physical parameter having a set value set in advance, said servo control circuit being operated while said second moving means is being operated, and the moving quantity due to the delay of response of said second moving means after detection of said physical parameter having a set value being reduced by said first moving means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
A surface metrological apparatus according to claim 9, wherein an inch worm system is used as the driving means of said driving circuit.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
A surface metrological apparatus according to claim 9, which further includes means for moving said second moving means at a predetermined speed.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
44 words
A surface metrological apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said driving circuit of said second moving means is controlled by the signal obtained by inputting a signal having a pre-set value and a signal corresponding to the detected physical parameter to a differential circuit.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
A surface metro logical apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a clamp system used in said second moving means is kept intact when the physical parameter is detected.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
A surface metrological apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said second moving means is subjected to sequence control.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
A surface metrological apparatus according to claim 14, which further includes means for switching the operation to a manual operation after sequence control.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
A surface metrological apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a stretch/contraction quantity of said inch worm system is set to a value greater than a step.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
A surface metrological apparatus according to claim 9, which further includes means for setting the moving quantity of said moving means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
A surface metrological apparatus according to claim 9, which further includes switching means for driving separately a plurality of driven means by one driving means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
43 words
A surface metrological apparatus according to claim 15, wherein when the sequence control is completed by detecting the physical parameter, the moving operation is repeated a plurality of times and the sequence control is completed after the resulting physical parameter has been confirmed.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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