US 7,441,445 B2 · Surface information measuring apparatus and surface information measuring method

Abstract

To measure surface information and physical information of a sample with high accuracy by promoting linearity in Z direction by nullifying cross talk in XY directions as less as possible, there is provided a surface information measuring apparatus including a probe having a stylus, a Z actuator fixed with the probe for being elongated and contracted in Z direction orthogonal to a sample surface B when applied with a voltage, an applicator for applying the voltage to the Z actuator, and a controller for controlling to operate the applicator, in which the Z actuator includes a piezoelectric member capable of being elongated and contracted in Z direction and a plurality of divided electrodes provided to be respectively electrically independent from each other in a state of being divided by at least 3 or more in a peripheral direction at an inner peripheral face or an outer peripheral face of the piezoelectric member for applying voltages to elongate and contract the piezoelectric member within ranges of contact regions, and the controller controls the applicator to apply voltages by a previously determined rates of voltage applying amounts such that elongating or contracting amounts of respective contact regions of the piezoelectric member respectively brought into contact with the divided electrodes respectively become the same.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A surface information measuring apparatus which is a surface information measuring apparatus for measuring shape information of a sample surface or physical information of a sample by making a stylus proximate to or brought into contact with the sample surface, said surface information measuring apparatus comprising:

a probe having the stylus at a front end thereof and arranged on an upper side of the sample;
a Z actuator fixed with the probe at a front end thereof for making the probe proximate to or remote from the sample surface by being elongated or contracted in a Z direction orthogonal to the sample surface when the Z actuator is applied with a voltage;
applying means for applying the voltage to the Z actuator;
and
controlling means for controlling to operate the applying means;
wherein the Z actuator includes a piezoelectric member having a section in a cylindrical shape and formed by being elongated in the Z direction and capable of being elongated or contracted in the Z direction, and a plurality of divided electrodes provided to be respectively electrically independent from each other in a state of being divided by at least 3 or more in a peripheral direction at an inner peripheral face or an outer peripheral face of the piezoelectric member for applying the voltages to elongate or contract the piezoelectric member in the Z direction within ranges of regions brought into contact therewith;
wherein the applying means are made to be able to apply simultaneously the voltages of amounts respectively different from each other to the plurality of divided electrodes;
and
wherein the controlling means controls the applying means to apply the voltages by previously determined rates of voltage applying amounts such that elongating or contracting amounts of respective contact regions of the piezoelectric member respectively brought into contact with the plurality of divided electrodes respectively become the same.

6 more elements

A surface information measuring method which is a surface information measuring method of measuring shape information of a sample surface or physical information of a sample in a state of applying a voltage to elongate or contract in a Z direction a Z actuator including a piezoelectric member having a section in a cylindrical shape, formed to elongate in the Z direction orthogonal to the sample surface and capable of being elongated or contracted in the Z direction, and a plurality of divided electrodes provided to be respectively electrically independent from each other in a state of being divided at least by three or more in a peripheral direction at an inner peripheral face or an outer peripheral face of the piezoelectric member for applying the voltage to the piezoelectric member to elongate or contract in the Z direction within ranges of regions brought into contact therewith and fixed with a stylus arranged on an upper side of the sample at a front end thereof and making the stylus proximate to or brought into contact with the sample surface, said surface information measuring method comprising:

an applying amount setting step of setting ratios of voltage applying amounts applied to the respective divided electrodes such that elongating or contracting amounts of respective contact regions of the piezoelectric member brought into contact with the plurality of divided electrodes respectively become the same;
and
a voltage applying step of respectively simultaneously applying the voltages in accordance with the rates of the voltage applying amounts set by the applying amount setting step to the plurality of divided electrodes.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Surface information measuring apparatus and surface information measuring method

Life of this patent

Surface information measuring apparatus and surface information measuring method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims9