# US 4,992,660 A · Scanning tunneling microscope

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- Number: US 4,992,660 A
- Document ID: US4992660A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 07/543,449
- Filed: 1990-06-25
- Granted: 1991-02-12
- Earliest claimed: 1989-06-26
- Assignees: JEOL Ltd.
- Inventors: Hideo Kobayashi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4992660A

## CPC

- G01Q 60/16: Probes, their manufacture, or their related instrumentation, e.g. holders
- G01Q 70/02: Probe holders
- Y10S 977/873: Tip holder
- G01Q: SCANNING-PROBE TECHNIQUES OR APPARATUS; APPLICATIONS OF SCANNING-PROBE TECHNIQUES, e.g. SCANNING PROBE MICROSCOPY [SPM]
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

A scanning tunneling microscope using a tip which can be easily replaced. The microscope includes a piezoelectric drive mechanism for driving the tip, a tip holder to which the tip is attached, and a sample holder. The tip holder can be detachably mounted to the piezoelectric drive mechanism. The Z-axis of a coordinate system extends through the tip holder and across the sample surface during observation. A replacement rod for replacng the tip holder is mounted so as to be movable along the Z-axis.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A scanning tunneling microscope comprising:
a tip holder having a tip;
a piezoelectric drive mechanism which drives the tip and to which the tip holder is detachably mounted;
means for holding a sample;
a replacement rod for replacing the tip holder, the replacement rod being mounted so as to be moving along the Z-axis of a coordinate system, the Z-axis extending through the tip holder and across the surface of the sample during observation; and
means for moving the sample away from the Z-axis during the replacement.

### Claim 2

A scanning tunneling microscope comprising:
a tip holder having a tip;
a piezoelectric drive mechanism which drives the tip and to which the tip holder is detachably mounted;
a sample holder holding a sample; and
a sample stage upon which the sample holder is mounted; and
a replacement rod having a chuck for gripping the sample holder or the tip holder, the replacement rod being mounted so as to be moving along the Z-axis of a coordinate system, the Z-axis extending through the sample holder and across the surface of the sample during observation.

### Claim 3

A scanning tunnelling microscope comprising:
a tip drive mechanism for driving a tip mounted detachably;
an observation chamber accommodating the drive mechanism;
a transfer chamber connected with the observation chamber via a first partition valve;
a preliminary chamber connected with the transfer chamber via a second partition valve;
an insertion rod for inserting a new tip into the transfer chamber via both preliminary chamber and the second partition valve;
a moving member which carry new tips introduced by the insertion rod and is moved inside the transfer chamber between a first position where the new tips are installed upon the moving member and a second position where the new tips are inserted into the observation chamber; and
a replacement rod which, when the moving member is in the second position, receives a new tip from the moving member and carries the tip into the observation chamber via the second partition valve.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The scanning tunneling microscope of claim 3, wherein the moving member takes the form of a transfer rod capable of moving between the first and second positions in the transfer chamber, and wherein a plurality of new tips are detachably installed radially around the axis of the transfer rod.

### Claim 5

A scanning tunneling microscope comprising:
a tip holder having a tip;
a sample stage holding a sample in such a way that the tip is spaced from the sample surface along the Z-axis of a coordinate system;
a piezoelectric drive mechanism driving the tip and to which the tip holder is detachably mounted;
a base upon which the sample stage and the piezoelectric drive mechanism are disposed; and
a mechanical means for moving the drive mechanism along Z-axis between a first position at which the mechanism for cleaning the sample surface is close to the sample upon the base and a second position at which the mechanism is distant from the sample.