JP4364817B2 - Surface information measuring apparatus and surface information measuring method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a surface information measuring apparatus and a surface information measuring method for measuring shape information such as surface roughness and level difference on a sample surface and physical information such as dielectric constant and viscoelasticity. Specific examples of the surface information measuring device include a scanning probe microscope, a surface roughness meter, a hardness meter, and an electrochemical microscope.

  A scanning probe microscope observes the fine surface shape of a sample by scanning a probe with a sharp tip on the surface of the sample. In addition to measurements in the atmosphere, the scanning probe microscope depends on the surrounding environment of the sample. In order to investigate this, a scanning probe microscope has been developed which can be measured by variously controlling the environment. A typical example is measurement in a controlled gas environment such as in a vacuum or replacement with gas, and various apparatus configurations have been developed.

  A scanning probe microscope that performs measurement in a state where a probe microscope constituent member is arranged in a sealed container capable of environmental control and the entire sealed container is placed under controlled environmental control will be described with reference to FIG.

  A scanning probe microscope system comprising a probe 41, a sample 42, a probe scanning unit 43 such as a piezoelectric actuator, and a sample scanning unit 44 is placed in a high-pressure vessel 45 provided with a high-pressure gas inlet 46 and a high-pressure gas outlet 47. Is arranged. By introducing the high-pressure gas from the high-pressure gas inlet 46, the entire inside of the high-pressure vessel 45 is held in a high-pressure gas environment, and measurement is performed with a scanning probe microscope (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  As a similar form, measurement in a vacuum environment is also performed by arranging a probe microscope system in a vacuum vessel instead of a high-pressure gas vessel.

However, in these cases, environmental control after the sample is placed in the container is possible, but there is a problem that the sample must be exposed to ambient air when placed in the container. When the sample is oxidized by oxygen in the air or deteriorates due to the influence of moisture, the sample in a denatured state is measured, and there is a problem that accurate material evaluation and analysis cannot be performed. .
JP-A-8-292197

  The present invention solves the above-described problems, and provides a scanning probe microscope that can be installed in a measurement unit without exposing a sample to the atmosphere and can perform surface shape measurement or processing in a controlled environment.

  In order to solve the above problems, a surface information measuring apparatus according to the present invention includes a cantilever having a microprobe at the tip, a cantilever holder for holding the cantilever, a sample stage for installing a sample, a sample A load lock chamber comprising a holding container that maintains airtightness, a displacement detection mechanism for detecting displacement of the cantilever, a sealed container provided with a sample moving mechanism for moving the sample, and an internal environment of the sealed container. A control mechanism and the load lock chamber are attached to a sealed container.

  Or a tunnel current detection mechanism for detecting a tunnel current flowing between the probe and the probe and the sample, a probe holder for holding the probe, a sample stage for installing the sample, and a sample holding container. A load lock chamber for maintaining airtightness, a sealed container provided with a sample moving mechanism for moving a sample, a mechanism for controlling the internal environment of the sealed container, and a load lock chamber attached to the sealed container Is.

  The surface information measuring method according to the present invention includes a step of attaching a sample stage on which a sample is fixed to the inside of the sample holding container, and a cantilever holder having a cantilever having a microprobe at the tip attached to the sample holding container. A step of attaching, a step of attaching a load lock chamber composed of a cantilever holder, a sample stage and a sample holding container to a sealed container provided with a sample moving mechanism for moving a sample; and a load lock of a displacement detection mechanism for detecting displacement of the cantilever. Attaching to the chamber; moving the sample stage by a sample moving mechanism; releasing the seal between the load lock chamber and the sealed container; and moving the sample stage by the sample moving mechanism to approach the cantilever. And measuring the surface information of the sample by the displacement detection mechanism.

  Alternatively, the step of attaching the sample stage on which the sample is fixed to the inside of the sample holding container, the step of attaching the probe holder to which the probe is attached to the sample holding container, and the sealing provided with the sample moving mechanism for moving the sample Attaching a load lock chamber comprising a probe holder, a sample stage and a sample holding container to the container; moving the sample stage by a sample moving mechanism to release the seal between the load lock chamber and the sealed container; and And a step of obtaining sample shape information by detecting and controlling a tunnel current between the probe and the sample by moving the sample stage by the sample moving mechanism and approaching the probe. is there.

  According to the surface information measuring apparatus and the surface information measuring method according to the present invention, the measurement can be performed in a controlled environment from the conveyance of the sample to the measurement in the controlled environment. That is, since the sample can be performed without exposing it to the atmosphere, it is possible to prevent the sample from being oxidized and deteriorated by air, and it is possible to perform effective material evaluation and analysis.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  A scanning probe microscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a load lock chamber portion of the scanning probe microscope of the present embodiment. The load lock chamber 1 is roughly divided into a cantilever holder A, a sample holding container B, and a sample stage C.

  As shown in FIG. 1A, the cantilever holder A includes a plate 2 made of metal, a cantilever holding portion 5 for fixing a cantilever 6 having a minute probe at the tip, and the optical of the cantilever 6 and the sample 7. It comprises a transparent window 9 for securing an optical path of a displacement detection mechanism 8 using an optical system for observing with a microscope or detecting the displacement of the cantilever 6 and a piezoelectric element 10 for exciting the cantilever 6. .

  As shown in FIG. 1B, the sample holding container B includes a sample housing 3 having openings 11a and 11b at both ends, an O-ring 16 around the opening 11b, an O-ring 12 around the opening 11a, and an O-ring 12; A magnet 13 is provided outside the ring 12.

  As shown in FIG. 1B, the sample stage C is composed of a sample fixing base 4 having a diameter larger than at least the O-ring 12 on the bottom surface of the sample housing 3 and a sample fixing jig 14 for fixing the sample 7. Is done.

  Next, a description will be given with reference to FIG. 2 showing the overall configuration of the scanning probe microscope of the present embodiment.

  The scanning probe microscope in this embodiment includes a load lock chamber 1, a displacement detection mechanism 8 that measures the displacement of the cantilever 6, a sealed container 17 that can be vacuum-processed, and a sample moving mechanism in the sealed container 17. The Z coarse movement mechanism 20 such as a stepping motor that roughly aligns the Z in the vertical direction, the XY coarse movement mechanism 19 such as a stepping motor that roughly aligns the sample 7 in the XY plane direction, and the sample 7 A fine movement mechanism 18 composed of a piezo element for slight movement in the in-plane XY direction and the vertical Z direction is provided, and a vacuum exhaust mechanism 21 such as a dry pump for exhausting the inside of the sealed container 17 as an internal environment control mechanism; A gas introduction mechanism 22 for introducing dry nitrogen or conditioned air into the sealed container 17 is connected.

  The load lock chamber 1 and the sealed container 17 are fixed with screws through an O-ring 23, and a displacement detection mechanism 8 including a semiconductor laser 24 and a photodetector 25 is installed on the load lock chamber 1. The semiconductor laser 24 is irradiated to the back surface of the cantilever 6 through the transparent window 9, and the reflected light is detected by the photodetector 25. The displacement of the cantilever 6 can be measured by detecting the arrival position of the reflected light.

  A flowchart according to the present embodiment is shown in FIG. 4 and will be described with reference to FIGS.

  In a space in which the environment is controlled, as shown in FIG. 1C, the sample 7 is fixed to the sample fixing base 4 by the sample fixing jig 14, and the opening 11a is closed from the inside of the sample housing 3, so that the sample It is fixed in the housing 3 with a magnet 13.

  Thereby, by using the sample fixing base 4 made of a magnetized material, there is an effect of improving the airtightness between the sample base holding container and the sample base.

  Next, the plate 2 of the sample holding container B is fixed to the sample housing 3 with screws 15. As a result, the O-ring 16 can be provided between the plate 2 and the sample housing 3, and the O-ring 12 can be provided between the sample fixing base 4 and the sample housing 3.

By performing these in a space in which the environment is controlled by a sample preparation device, a sample preparation device, a sample preparation device, or the like, the load lock chamber 1 can be held in a controlled environment. The space that is made means a space that is replaced with dry nitrogen, dry air, conditioned air, or the like, or a space that is decompressed by a vacuum pump or the like.
In this embodiment, the process is performed in an environment of dry nitrogen.

  As a result, even if the load lock chamber 1 is taken out from the controlled space and transported, the sample 7 is not exposed to the atmosphere, and the sample is prevented from being oxidized, deteriorated by moisture, or altered. I can do it.

  Next, the load lock chamber 1 is transported and fixed to the sealed container 17 with screws.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 2, the inside of the sealed container 17 is evacuated by the evacuation mechanism 21, and the air inside the sealed container 17 is excluded.

  Subsequently, after the evacuation mechanism 21 is stopped, the environment inside the sealed container 17 is controlled by introducing a gas such as dry nitrogen, dry air, or conditioned air by the gas introduction mechanism 22. In this embodiment, dry nitrogen is introduced in the same manner as when the sample 7 is installed in the load lock chamber 1. Thereby, replacement in the sealed container 17 can be performed efficiently.

  It is a figure which shows the state which the fine movement mechanism lifted the sample stand by the scanning probe microscope (surface information measuring device) measuring method which concerns on this embodiment.

  Next, the fine movement mechanism 18 is moved upward using the Z coarse movement mechanism 20 as shown in FIG. The sample fixing base 4 is located above the fine movement mechanism 18, and as the fine movement mechanism 18 moves upward, the sample fixing base 4 is lifted together with the sample 7 as shown in FIG. The sample fixing base 4 is separated from the sample housing 3 by moving upward together with the mechanism 18. Thereby, the space of the load lock chamber 1 and the space of the sealed container 17 are continuous.

  Further, the fine movement mechanism 18 moves upward, and the sample 7 placed on the sample fixing base 4 is brought close to the cantilever 6 as shown in FIG.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3B, when the sample 7 is scanned in the in-plane XY direction by the fine movement mechanism 18 by bringing a minute probe provided on the cantilever 6 into contact with or approaching the sample 7, the sample 7 is scanned. The cantilever 6 is displaced according to the shape such as the unevenness and the physical properties such as elasticity and friction. By detecting the displacement of the cantilever 6 by the displacement detection mechanism 8 and moving the sample 7 in the vertical Z direction by the fine movement mechanism 18 so that the displacement becomes constant, the shape and physical properties of the sample can be measured.
The displacement of the cantilever 6 is detected by the displacement detection mechanism 8 and controlled to be constant, thereby measuring the shape and physical properties of the sample.

  Since the vacuum exhaust mechanism is provided, the sealed container 17 and the load lock chamber 1 can be vacuum-discarded in the same space, and the shape and physical properties of the sample can be measured in vacuum. is there.

  In the present embodiment, the adjustment of the displacement detection mechanism 8 of the cantilever 6 is arranged outside the sealed container or the load lock chamber 1, so that the adjustment knob can be easily implemented when adjusting the displacement detection mechanism 8. The operability is not impaired. Further, since the photodetector 25 and the semiconductor laser 24 constituting the displacement detection mechanism 8 are not in a controlled environment such as high humidity and high temperature, there is an effect that the performance is not deteriorated.

  In the present embodiment, the sample 7 is finely moved in the XYZ direction using the fine movement mechanism 18 positioned on the sample 7 side as a means for relatively finely positioning the sample 7 and the cantilever 6 in the XYZ direction. An in-plane XY direction fine movement mechanism is arranged on the cantilever 6 side as a cantilever moving mechanism, and a vertical Z direction fine movement mechanism is arranged on the sample 7 side. For in-plane XY direction fine positioning, the cantilever 6 is moved and moved in the vertical Z direction. The fine positioning may be performed by moving the sample 7.

  Further, an XYZ direction fine movement mechanism as a cantilever moving mechanism may be arranged on the cantilever 6 side, and fine positioning in the XYZ directions may be performed by moving the cantilever 6.

  In this embodiment, the evacuation mechanism and the gas introduction mechanism are connected as the internal environment control mechanism. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and at least one of the evacuation mechanism and the gas introduction mechanism may be provided. Good.

  A scanning probe microscope according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  In addition, the same code | symbol is described to the same component as 1st embodiment shown in FIG.1 and FIG.2, and the detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

FIG. 5 is an overview of the configuration of the load lock chamber 1 of the scanning probe microscope of the present embodiment. The load lock chamber 1 includes a probe holder A, a sample holding container B, and a sample table C.
In this embodiment, a high-pressure gas is applied to the inside of the load lock chamber 1 as a pressurizing mechanism to the probe holder C, which is composed of a plate 31 and a probe holder 32 that fixes a probe 30 with a sharpened tip. A gas inlet 33 for pressurization is provided.
The sample holding container B has an opening 11a on the bottom surface of the sample housing 3, and an O-ring 12 is provided around the opening 11a. The sample fixing table 4 on which the sample 7 of the sample table C is placed is made of a material having high thermal conductivity such as Cu, and has a diameter larger than at least the O-ring 12 of the sample housing 3.
The sample fixing base 4 is installed in the sample housing 3 so as to close the opening on the bottom surface of the sample housing 3.
The plate 31 on which the probe 30 is installed is fixed to the sample housing 3 with screws.

By performing these in a space in which the environment is controlled by a sample preparation device, a sample preparation device, a sample preparation device, or the like, the load lock chamber 1 can be held in a controlled environment. The term “space that has been removed” refers to a space that has been replaced with dry nitrogen or conditioned air, or a space that has been decompressed with a vacuum pump or the like.

  As a result, even if the load lock 1 chamber is taken out from the controlled space, the sample 7 is not exposed to the atmosphere, and it is possible to prevent the sample from being oxidized and deteriorated or deteriorated due to moisture.

  Next, a description will be given with reference to FIG. 6 showing the overall configuration of the scanning probe microscope of the present embodiment.

  The scanning probe microscope according to the present embodiment includes a load lock chamber 1, a sealed container 17 that can be pressurized, and a stepping motor that roughly aligns in the Z vertical direction as a sample moving mechanism in the sealed container 17. Z coarse movement mechanism 20, XY coarse movement mechanism 19 such as a stepping motor for roughly aligning the sample 7 in the XY plane direction, and the sample 7 for slightly moving in the XY plane direction and the Z vertical direction A fine movement mechanism 18 including a piezo element is provided, and a gas introduction mechanism 22 for introducing gas into the sealed container 17 is provided as an internal environment control mechanism.

  Further, a sample temperature control mechanism 29 for controlling the temperature of the sample 7 is installed on the fine movement mechanism 18, and a tunnel current detector 34 is connected so that a tunnel current between the sample and the probe can be detected.

  The load lock chamber 1 and the sealed container 17 are fixed with screws through the O-ring 23, and the hermeticity of the sealed container 17 can be ensured.

  A flowchart according to the present embodiment is shown in FIG. 7 and will be described with reference to FIGS.

  In a space in which the environment is controlled, as shown in FIG. 5, the sample 7 is placed on the sample stage 4 and placed in the sample housing 3 so as to close the opening 11 a from the inside of the sample housing 3.

  Next, the plate 31 is placed on the sample housing 3. In this embodiment, the process is performed in a dry air environment.

  By performing these in a space in which the environment is controlled by a sample preparation device, a sample preparation device, a sample preparation device, or the like, the load lock chamber 1 can be held in a controlled environment.

  The space in which the environment is controlled refers to a space replaced with dry nitrogen, dry air or conditioned air, or a space decompressed with a vacuum pump or the like.

  As a result, the O-ring 16 can be provided between the plate 2 and the sample housing 3, and the O-ring 12 can be provided between the sample stage 4 and the sample housing 3.

  Next, after introducing dry air from the gas inlet 33 into the load lock chamber 1 shown in FIG. 5 and replacing the inside of the load lock chamber 1 with dry air, the plate 31 and the sample housing 3 are fixed with screws, and the load lock chamber 1 is loaded. The chamber 1 is pressurized to atmospheric pressure or higher.

  Thus, the screw between the plate 31 and the sample housing 3 is screwed through the O-ring 16, and the load lock chamber 1 is pressurized to atmospheric pressure or higher, so the sample stage 4 is between the sample housing 3 and the O-ring 12. Therefore, the airtightness of the load lock chamber 1 can be further increased.

  Even if the load lock chamber 1 is taken out from the controlled space and transported in this state, the sample 7 is not exposed to the atmosphere, and the sample can be prevented from being oxidized, deteriorated due to moisture, or altered.

  Next, after transporting the load lock chamber 1 as shown in FIG. 6 and placing it on the sealed container 17, after introducing dry gas from the gas introduction mechanism 22 and replacing the inside of the sealed container 17 with dry air, The load lock chamber 1 and the sealed container 17 are fixed with screws, and the sealed container 17 is pressurized to atmospheric pressure or higher. At this time, it is desirable that the pressure in the load lock chamber 1 be higher than the pressure.

  Next, the fine movement mechanism 18 is moved upward using the Z coarse movement mechanism 20. The sample stage 4 is located above the fine movement mechanism 18, and when the fine movement mechanism 18 moves upward, the sample stage 4 is lifted, and moves upward together with the fine movement mechanism 18, thereby moving the sample stage. 4 is separated from the sample housing 3. Thereby, the space of the load lock chamber 1 and the space of the sealed container 17 are continuous.

  Further, the fine movement mechanism 18 moves upward, and the sample 7 placed on the sample table 4 is brought close to the probe 30.

  Next, when the sample 30 is scanned in the in-plane XY direction by the fine movement mechanism 18 with the probe 30 approaching the sample 7, it flows between the sample 7 and the probe 30 according to the distance between the sample 7 and the probe 30. Tunnel current changes. The shape of the sample can be measured by moving the sample 7 in the vertical Z direction by the fine movement mechanism 18 so that the tunnel current becomes constant.

  Thereby, it is possible to control the temperature of the sample 7 efficiently by using the sample temperature control mechanism 29 and using the Cu material having good thermal conductivity for the sample stage 4. By performing measurement in a state where the temperature of the sample 7 is controlled, there is an effect that information on the temperature dependence of the sample 7 can be obtained.

  The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

  For example, in each of the above embodiments, a scanning probe microscope is employed as an example of the surface information measuring device. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and information on the shape of the sample surface and various physical information (for example, dielectric constant, magnetization state, Any device that measures the transmittance, viscoelasticity, friction coefficient, etc.) may be used. For example, a surface roughness meter, a hardness meter, an electrochemical microscope, or the like may be used.

  In the first embodiment, the vacuum pumping mechanism is a dry pump. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a vacuum pump such as a rotary pump or a cryopump and a combination thereof may be used.

  In this embodiment, the fine movement mechanism 18 positioned under the sample 7 is used as a means for relatively finely positioning the sample 7 and the probe 30 in the XYZ directions, and the sample 7 is moved in the XYZ directions. An in-plane XY direction fine movement mechanism is arranged on the probe 30 side as a needle moving mechanism, and a vertical Z direction fine movement mechanism is arranged on the sample 7 side. The minute positioning in the direction may be performed by moving the sample 7.

  Further, an XYZ direction fine movement mechanism may be arranged on the probe 30 side as a probe moving mechanism, and the probe 30 may be moved for fine positioning in the XYZ directions.

It is a block diagram of the load lock chamber part which shows 1st embodiment of the scanning probe microscope (surface information measuring device) which concerns on this invention. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of a scanning probe microscope (surface information measuring device) according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a view showing a state in which a fine movement mechanism lifts a sample stage in the surface information measuring method according to the present invention for measuring shape information and physical property information of a sample surface by the scanning probe microscope shown in FIGS. . FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing one step of a surface information measuring method according to the present invention for measuring shape information and physical property information of a sample surface with the scanning probe microscope shown in FIGS. It is a block diagram of the load-lock chamber part which shows 2nd embodiment of the scanning probe microscope (surface information measuring device) which concerns on this invention. It is a whole block diagram which shows 2nd embodiment of the scanning probe microscope (surface information measuring device) which concerns on this invention. It is a flowchart which shows 1 process of the surface information measuring method based on this invention which measures the shape information and physical property information of a sample surface with the scanning probe microscope shown in FIGS. It is a schematic block diagram which shows an example of the conventional scanning probe microscope.

Explanation of symbols

A Cantilever holder B Sample holding container C Sample stand 1 Load lock chamber 2 Plate 3 Housing 4 Sample fixing stand 5 Cantilever holder 6 Cantilever 7 Sample 8 Displacement detection mechanism 9 Transparent window 10 Piezoelectric element 11a opening 11b opening 12 O ring 13 Magnet 14 Sample fixing jig 15 Screw 16 O ring 17 Sealed container 18 Fine movement mechanism 19 XY coarse movement mechanism 20 Z coarse movement mechanism 21 Vacuum exhaust mechanism 22 Gas introduction mechanism 23 O ring 24 Semiconductor laser 25 Photo detector 29 Sample temperature control mechanism 30 Probe 31 Plate 32 Probe holder 33 Gas inlet 34 Tunnel current detector

Claims (18)

A displacement detection mechanism for detecting displacement disposed on the top of a cantilever having a micro-tip at the tip;
A cantilever holder having a transparent window for detection by the displacement detection mechanism, the cantilever and a cantilever holding portion for holding the cantilever, and a side wall portion and a bottom portion using the cantilever holder as a lid portion to form a container. A load-lock chamber having a sample holding container having an opening in a part of the part, and a sample stage detachably mounted so as to close the opening from the inside of the sample holding container;
A sealed container having a sample moving mechanism capable of being fitted with the load lock chamber to form a sealed space, and moving the sample together with the sample stage to the vicinity of the probe in the sealed space;
A surface information measuring device comprising: an internal environment control mechanism for controlling the environment inside the sealed container . A tunnel current detector for detecting a tunnel current generated between the probe and the sample;
A probe holder having a probe wired to the tunnel current detector and a probe holding portion for holding the probe, and a side wall portion and a bottom portion using the probe holder as a lid portion to form a container, and the bottom surface A load-lock chamber having a sample holding container having an opening in a part of the part, and a sample stage detachably mounted so as to close the opening from the inside of the sample holding container;
A sealed container having a sample moving mechanism that fits with the load lock chamber to form a sealed space, and can move a sample together with the sample stage to the vicinity of the probe in the sealed space;
A surface information measuring apparatus comprising: an internal environment control mechanism that controls the environment inside the sealed container . The surface information measuring device according to claim 1, further comprising a cantilever moving mechanism that moves the cantilever to the cantilever side. The surface information measuring apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a probe moving mechanism on the probe side. Wherein a magnet is provided around the opening of the sample holder, the sample stage surface information measuring apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, which is the material of magnetizability.   The surface information measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mechanism for controlling the internal environment is a gas introduction mechanism.   The surface information measuring device according to claim 1, wherein a vacuum exhaust mechanism is provided in the sealed container.   The surface information measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a pressure mechanism is provided in the load lock chamber.   The surface information measuring apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sample temperature control mechanism that controls a temperature of the sample. The surface information measuring device according to claim 9, wherein the sample stage is made of a copper material . A step of detachably mounting a sample stage on which a sample is fixed so as to close the opening from the inside of a sample holding container having an opening in a part of the bottom surface ;
A step that form a load lock chamber cantilever holder having a cantilever and the transparent window for displacement detection of the cantilever with a microscopic tip to tip is attached as a lid to the sample holding container top,
Attaching the load lock chamber to a sealed container having a sample moving mechanism for moving the sample stage;
And attaching the displacement detecting mechanism for detecting the displacement of the cantilever transparent window top of cantilever holder of the load lock chamber
A step of and the load lock chamber apart the sample stage from the opening the sealed container the continuous space by the sample moving mechanism,
Wherein said sample stage by the sample moving mechanism is brought close to the cantilever, by the displacement detecting mechanism, the surface information measuring method characterized by comprising the a step of measuring the surface information of the sample. After the step of attaching the sample stage inside the sample holder, the surface information measuring method according to claim 11 including the step of evacuating the sealed container. Wherein the sealed container after the step of evacuating, surface information measuring method according to claim 12 including the step of introducing the gas into the sealed container. The surface information measuring method according to claim 12, wherein in the step of attaching the cantilever holder to the sample holding container, gas is introduced by a pressurizing mechanism to replace the inside and pressurize the surface information measuring method. A step of detachably mounting a sample stage on which a sample is fixed so as to close the opening from the inside of a sample holding container having an opening in a part of the bottom surface ;
Attaching a probe holder having a probe connected to a tunnel current detector and a probe holding part for holding the probe as a lid on the upper part of the sample holding container to form a load lock chamber ;
Attaching the load lock chamber to a sealed container having a sample moving mechanism for moving the sample stage;
A step of and the load lock chamber apart the sample stage from the opening the sealed container the continuous space by the sample moving mechanism,
The sample stage by the sample moving mechanism is brought close to the probe, by controlling the distance by detecting the current between the probe and the sample, to include the steps of obtaining the shape information of the sample Characteristic surface information measurement method. After the step of attaching the sample stage inside the sample holder, the surface information measuring method according the step of evacuating the sealed vessel including claim 15. Wherein the sealed container after the step of evacuating, surface information measuring method according to claim 16 including the step of introducing the gas into the sealed container. The surface information measuring method according to claim 16 , wherein in the step of attaching the probe holder to the sample holding container, gas is introduced by a pressurizing mechanism to replace the inside and pressurize the surface information measuring method.

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