SCANNING TYPE PROBE MICROSCOPE AND PROBE MOVING CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR

摘要

A probe moving control method which is applied to a scanning type probe microscope that relatively changes the positions of a cantilever (21) having a probe (20) facing a sample (12), an optical lever type optical detector, etc. for measuring an inter-atomic force, etc. produced between the probe and the sample, the probe, and the sample, that is provided with respective X, Y, Z fine moving mechanisms (23, 29, 30), and that measures the sample surface by scanning the sample surface by fine moving mechanisms with physical quantities kept constant by a measuring unit; and which changes the approach direction of the probe when the moving direction of the probe to approach the sample surface differs at least a set value from the reaction direction of the probe on contact with the sample surface. Accordingly, when a portion having a gradient is measured during the measurement of the roughness of the sample surface, a high measuring accuracy can be ensured and the scanning moving of the probe on the sample surface can be simply controlled.