Scanning probe microscope and processing apparatus

A scanning probe microscope, comprising:

• a probe supported by a cantilever at a tip thereof so as to be opposed to a sample,
• means for changing a relative positional relationship between said probe and said sample,
• detecting means for detecting a force acting on said probe due to a physical variable produced between said probe and said sample,
• control means for controlling said changing means to maintain a state variable related to said force acting on said probe at a set value,
• a displacement meter for measuring displacement in a Z-axis direction produced by said means for changing the relative positional relationship, and
• adding means for adding a signal outputted from said displacement meter and a signal based on a deviation between said state variable of said probe and said set value,
• wherein information on a surface of said sample is obtained from a signal outputted from said adding means.

A scanning probe microscope comprising:

• a probe supported by a cantilever at a tip thereof so as to be opposed to s sample,
• means for changing a relative positional relationship between said sample and said probe,
• detecting means for detecting force acting on said probe due to a physical variable produced between said probe and said sample,
• control means for controlling said changing means to maintain a state variable related to said force acting on said probe at a set value,
• adding means for adding a control signal obtained from said control means and a signal based on a deviation between said state variable of said probe and said set value,
• first means for switching on or off supply of the control signal from said control means to both of said changing means and said adding means, and
• second means for switching on or off supply of the deviation signal to said adding means,
• wherein, when switching both of said first and second switching means on, information on a surface of said sample is obtained from a signal outputted from said adding means,
• when switching said first switching means off and said second switching means on, the surface information is obtained from the deviation signal outputted from said adding means, and
• when switching said first switching means on and said second switching means off, the surface information is obtained from the control signal outputted from said adding means.