PROBE-DRIVING MECHANISM, PRODUCTION THEREOF, AND APPARATUS AND PIEZOELECTRIC ACTUATOR EMPLOYING THE SAME

摘要

A probe-driving mechanism is shown with a bimorph cantilever having a thin piezoelectric substance film (5, 7) and electrodes (4, 6, 8) holding the film therebetween. The cantilever is supported by a support (1) at one end and has a probe for information input and output at the other. The probe-driving mechanism has a first insulating layer (2) between the support and the cantilever and a second insulating layer (2) at the other side of the support. The first insulating layer has sufficient thickness to reduce parasitic capacitance induced between the electrode of the cantilever and the support. A tunnel current-detecting apparatus and an information-processing apparatus comprise the probe-driving mechanism, respectively. <IMAGE>