Scanning tunneling microscope and surface topographic observation method.

摘要

In a surface topographic observation method using a scanning tunneling microscope, a probe (2) is moved away from the surface (5a) of a sample (5) and is moved on a plane to move it successively to points of measurement on the sample surface in order to obtain texture information of the sample. That is, the probe (2) is moved on a plane completely preventing the probe tip from colliding with the sample surface (5a) and enabling the probe to effect scanning at high speeds.