JPH0540010A - Coaxial scanning tunneling microscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a coaxial scanning tunneling microscope which can easily position the tip of a probe to the center of the observatory visual field of an optical microscope even when the probe is exchanged. CONSTITUTION:This coaxial scanning tunneling microscope provided with a scanning tunneling microscope section equipped with a probe 14, optical microscope section for observing the tip image of the probe 14, and photographing section which takes the picture of at least part of an image formed by the optical microscope as a picture to be observed, has an aligning means 5 which moves the photographing section 1 in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the probe 14.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a coaxial scanning tunnel microscope in which an optical microscope and a scanning tunnel microscope are coaxially arranged.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A coaxial scanning tunneling microscope in which a scanning tunneling microscope and an optical microscope are coaxially arranged has been developed. The coaxial scanning tunneling microscope is an integrated microscope in which these microscopes are arranged so that the axial direction of the probe of the scanning tunneling microscope and the optical axis direction of the optical microscope coincide with each other. In the coaxial scanning tunneling microscope, the tip of the probe of the scanning tunneling microscope and the measuring object can be observed simultaneously within the same field of view of the optical microscope. Therefore, the position of the probe with respect to the measuring object can be easily adjusted and the tip of the probe can be easily observed.

A part of the conventional coaxial tunnel microscope is
This will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 shows a part of a probe of the scanning tunneling microscope part and a driving part of the probe, and an objective lens part of the optical microscope part. The probe 14 of the scanning tunneling microscope is fixed to the central portion of the parallel plate glass 15, and these are further attached to the tube scanner 16 for scanning the probe. The objective lens 17 of the optical microscope is attached to a column 18 of the optical microscope. The optical axis of the objective lens 17 is arranged so as to coincide with the axis 14a of the probe 14, and the focus of the objective lens 17 is aligned so as to coincide with the tip 14b of the probe. An observer can observe the tip 14b of the probe and the observation object through the parallel plate glass 15 with an optical microscope.

Therefore, in the conventional coaxial scanning tunneling microscope, when the probe 14 is damaged, the probe 14 is replaced with the parallel flat plate glass 15 attached to the central portion.

[0005]

As described above, in the conventional coaxial scanning tunneling microscope, when the probe of the scanning tunneling microscope is replaced with the parallel flat plate including the probe, the probe axis is replaced with the axis of the probe. The optical axes of the light microscope had to be aligned. Since the magnification of an optical microscope is high,
Micron-order mounting accuracy was required, and the tip of the probe was off the center of the observation field of the optical microscope even with slight misalignment. Also, depending on the position of the probe in the observation field of view, a part of the scanning range of the scanning tunneling microscope is
Since it goes out of the observation field of view, the entire scanning range of the scanning tunneling microscope cannot be observed with the optical microscope,
It hindered the observation. In addition, when there is a sample or foreign matter outside the observation field of view, the probe may be damaged because it cannot be confirmed by an optical microscope.

Therefore, in the prior art, in order to match the axis of the probe with the optical axis of the optical microscope, strict accuracy is required for the replacement probe and the parallel flat glass, and the parallel flat glass of the probe is required. Even slight deviation from the center and slight bending of the probe were not allowed, resulting in high manufacturing costs and high prices. In addition, a slight deviation easily occurs depending on the mounting method at the time of mounting, so that the installer is required to have skill.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems.

[0008]

According to the present invention, at least a scanning tunneling microscope section having a probe, an optical microscope section for observing a tip image of the probe, and at least image formation of the optical microscope. In a coaxial scanning tunneling microscope having a photographing unit that photographs a part of the image and uses it as an observation image, the coaxial scanning tunneling microscope has a positioning unit that moves the photographing unit in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the probe. A coaxial scanning tunneling microscope is provided.

The optical microscope section has a lens barrel having an opening, and a connecting section for mounting the photographing section in the opening with a play that allows the photographing section to move in the direction, and the play restricting the play. It is possible to have a restricting means provided in the opening for fixing the photographing unit.

The restricting means may fix the photographing section to an arbitrary position with respect to the lens barrel within the play range.

[0011]

According to the present invention, in the coaxial scanning tunneling microscope in which the scanning tunneling microscope unit having the probe and the optical microscope unit for observing the tip image of the probe are coaxially arranged,
By moving the image capturing unit that captures a part of the image formed by the optical microscope as an observation image, the tip image of the probe is positioned at an arbitrary position of the observation image by moving in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the probe. Can be matched.

The photographing section is connected to the lens barrel of the optical microscope with play, and the photographing section is fixed by the restricting means. The restricting unit moves the imaging unit within the play range and fixes it at an arbitrary position, so that the tip image of the probe can be aligned with an arbitrary position of the observation image.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a part of the structure of the coaxial scanning tunneling microscope of the present invention. As shown in Figure 1,
At the bottom of the coaxial scanning tunneling microscope of the present invention, there is an objective lens section 17 composed of objective lenses 17a and 17b of an optical microscope section, and a lens barrel 17c. The lens barrel 17c is fixed to an optical microscope column 18. .. A through hole is formed in the center of the objective lens 17b, and the tube scanner 16 of the scanning tunneling microscope penetrates through the through hole. The parallel plate glass 15 is attached to the tip of the tube scanner 16, and the probe 1 is attached to the center of the parallel plate glass 15.
4 is fixed. The probe is scanned by the tube scanner 16. The tube scanner 16 is attached to the scanning tunnel microscope column 19.

In the upper part, a photographing device 1 having a CCD image pickup device 2 therein for photographing a part of the image formed by the objective lens portion 17 is provided with a mirror through a camera mount 4 and a positioning member 5. It is mounted on the cylinder 8. The camera mount 4 of the image capturing apparatus 1 is fixed to the alignment member 5 with a screw 5a, and the alignment member 5 includes the lens barrel 8
Slides on the sliding surface 8a. That is, the sliding surface 8a, the camera mount 4, and the positioning member 5 form a connecting portion between the lens barrel 8 and the image capturing apparatus 1.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the alignment member 5 of the image capturing apparatus 1 is pressed by the jig 6x against the feed screw 7x provided on the opposite side by the force of the spring 6x applied by the jig 9x. It slides in the x direction when it is sent out. Similarly, the jig 9y applies the force of the spring 6y and presses it against the feed screw 7y provided on the opposite side, and the feed screw 7y feeds it to slide in the y direction.

The objective lens unit 17 and the probe 14 are aligned so that the focus of the objective lens unit 17 coincides with the tip 14b of the probe 14. Further, the optical axis of the objective lens unit 17 and the axis 14a of the probe 14 are aligned so as to substantially coincide with each other. The image of the tip of the probe 14 and the sample surface by the objective lens unit 17 is formed on the image pickup surface 3 of the CCD image pickup device 2. The image formation of the objective lens unit 17 is larger than the image pickup area of the image pickup element 2, and
However, by enlarging a part of the image formation, the magnification of the displayed observation image is further increased. A part of the imaged image is
An image display device (not shown) that is imaged by the image sensor 2
Is displayed as shown in FIG. In FIG. 3, a sample surface image 13 and a probe tip image 11 are displayed in an observation visual field 3a taken by the image pickup device. Probe 1
The tip end 14b of No. 4 scans the scanning range 12 by the tube scanner 16. Therefore, when the tip 14b of the probe 14 and the center 3b of the observation visual field 3a are slightly deviated as shown in FIG. 3, a part of the scanning range 12 of the probe 14 is deviated from the observation visual field 3a and obstructs the observation. Cause

According to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 3, when the scanning range 12 of the tip 14b of the probe 14 is out of the observation visual field 3a, the above-mentioned feed screws 7x and 7y are fed out so that the photographing apparatus 1 is moved. Move in xy directions. Since the image pickup device 2 in the image pickup apparatus 1 moves accordingly, the image pickup portion of the image formation of the objective lens unit 17 is changed,
The scanning range 12 of the tip 14b of the probe 14 is set to the observation field 3a.
Can be stored within.

Therefore, in the coaxial scanning tunneling microscope of the present embodiment, when the probe 14 is replaced, even if the axis of the probe 14 is not completely aligned with the optical axis 14a of the objective lens, the feed screw 7x, By moving the imaging device 1 using 7y, the center 3b of the observation field and the tip image 11 of the probe
Can be matched. Therefore, when exchanging the probe, conventionally, by shifting the probe, a complicated operation for bringing the tip of the probe to the center of the observation visual field can be easily performed using the feed screw.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 5, in this embodiment, instead of the spring 6 used in the first embodiment, a magnet 10 is used.
x and 10y are arranged, and the magnets 10x and 10y connect the positioning member 5 to the feed screw 7 by the force attracted to the feed screws 7x and 7y. Position BB in FIG.
FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, the magnet 10x arranged in the x direction of the alignment member 5 has
By being attracted to the feed screw 7x, the positioning member 5 is connected to the feed screw 7x in the x direction. Further, the magnet 10 arranged in the y direction of the alignment member 5
By being attracted to the feed screw 7y, y connects the positioning member 5 to the feed screw 7y in the y direction. Therefore, by sending out the feed screws 7x and 7y, the photographing apparatus 1 can be easily moved in the xy directions.

The magnets 10a and 10b shown in FIG. 5 attract the alignment member 5 in the z-direction and bring the photographing apparatus 1 into close contact with the lens barrel 8 to prevent it from falling. The other structure is the same as that of the first embodiment described above, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

Therefore, even in the embodiment of the present invention, the first
Similar to the embodiment described above, the tip image of the probe can be aligned with the center of the observation visual field by feeding out the feed screw. By using the present invention, even if a slight deviation occurs between the axis of the probe and the optical axis of the objective lens when replacing the probe,
The tip image of the probe can be easily aligned with the center of the observation visual field.

[0023]

According to the present invention, by providing the alignment means for aligning the photographing device, the displacement between the tip image of the probe and the center of the observation visual field can be easily aligned.

Therefore, it is possible to keep the scanning range of the probe within the observation field of the optical microscope. In addition, a coaxial scanning tunneling microscope that is easy to use and that can easily position the probe even when the probe is replaced is provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a part of the structure of an example of a coaxial scanning tunneling microscope of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is another cross-sectional view showing the structure of the coaxial scanning tunneling microscope of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the observation field of view and the tip of the probe.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a part of the structure of an example of a conventional coaxial scanning tunneling microscope.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the structure of another example of the coaxial scanning tunneling microscope of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is another cross-sectional view showing the structure of the coaxial scanning tunneling microscope of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Imaging device, 2 ... CCD image sensor, 3 ... Imaging surface, 4 ...
Camera mount, 5 ... Positioning member, 6 ... Spring, 7
... Feed screw, 8 ... Lens barrel, 9 ... Jig for pushing member 5, 10 ...
Magnet, 11 ... Tip image of probe, 12 ... Scanning range, 13 ... Sample surface image, 14 ... Probe, 15 ... Parallel flat glass, 16 ...
Tube scanner, 17 ... Objective lens part, 18 ... Optical microscope support, 19 ... Scanning tunnel microscope support.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A scanning tunneling microscope section having a probe,
In a coaxial scanning tunneling microscope having an optical microscope unit for observing the tip image of the probe, and a photographing unit for photographing at least a part of the image formed by the optical microscope, which is an observation image, the photographing unit is A coaxial scanning tunneling microscope having a positioning unit that moves in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the probe. 2. The optical microscope unit according to claim 1, wherein the optical microscope unit has a lens barrel having an opening, and a connecting unit for mounting the photographing unit in the opening with a play that allows the unit to move in the direction. A coaxial scanning tunneling microscope, comprising: a regulating unit provided in the opening for regulating the play and fixing the photographing unit. 3. The coaxial scanning tunneling microscope according to claim 2, wherein the restricting means fixes the photographing section at an arbitrary position with respect to the lens barrel within the play range. 4. The regulating means according to claim 3, further comprising a feed screw portion provided around the opening and acting on the photographing portion, and a spring portion for pressing the photographing portion against the feed screw. Characteristic coaxial scanning tunneling microscope. 5. The control means according to claim 3, further comprising a feed screw portion provided around the opening and acting on the photographing portion, and a magnet connecting the feed screw portion and the photographing portion. A coaxial scanning tunneling microscope.