Scanning probe microscope

A scanning probe microscope comprising:

• a cantilever displacement detection unit including a flexible cantilever provided with a probe, a laser light source unit, a reflector configured to reflect laser light emitted from the laser light source unit to irradiate the laser light to the cantilever, and a detector configured to detect light reflected from the cantilever with respect to irradiation light;
• a drive unit configured to move at least one of the reflector and the laser light source unit for optical axis adjustment in the cantilever displacement detector;
• and
• an image capturing unit configured to capture an image of the cantilever and a vicinity thereof to which light is irradiated for the optical axis adjustment, wherein
• a) an image capturing control unit configured to perform image capturing while switching a first image capturing condition suitable for performing image capturing of a laser light spot formed by irradiation of the laser light to the cantilever and a second image capturing condition suitable for performing image capturing of the cantilever,
• b) a composite image creation unit configured to create an image in which both a laser light spot image and a cantilever image appears by performing processing of composing an image captured under the first image capturing condition and an image captured under the second image capturing condition, and
• c) a display unit configured to display the image created by the composite image creation unit in order for an operator to perform the optical axis adjustment using the drive unit or for the operator to confirm a result of the optical axis adjustment.