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US 9,519,005 B2Granted
Scanning mechanism and scanning probe microscope
AssigneeOlympus Corporation
InventorNobuaki Sakai
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A scanning mechanism includes a cantilever, an XY movable portion movable in X and Y directions parallel to an X-Y plane, an XY actuator to scan the XY movable portion in the X and Y directions, a Z actuator to scan the cantilever in a Z direction perpendicular to the X-Y plane, and a light condensing portion to cause light for detecting a displacement of the cantilever to enter the cantilever. The Z actuator and the light condensing portion are held by the XY movable portion and arranged side by side in projection to the X-Y plane.
Claims27
A scanning mechanism comprising:
- a cantilever;
- an XY movable stage movable in X and Y directions parallel to an X-Y plane;
- an XY actuator to scan the XY movable stage in the X and Y directions;
- a Z actuator, held by the XY movable stage, to scan the cantilever in a Z direction perpendicular to the X-Y plane, the Z actuator having one end fixed to the XY movable stage and the other end, which is a free end, to hold a holder configured to hold the cantilever;
- and
- a light condensing optical unit comprising at least one lens, the at least one lens being held by the XY movable stage, the Z actuator not being operable to move the at least one lens in the Z direction, and the at least one lens directing light to the cantilever for detecting a displacement of the cantilever,
- wherein in projection to the X-Y plane, at least part of the Z actuator is not overlapped with the light condensing optical unit.
4 more elements
A scanning mechanism comprising:
- a cantilever;
- an XY movable stage movable in X and Y directions parallel to an X-Y plane;
- an XY actuator to scan the XY movable stage in the X and Y directions;
- a Z actuator, held by the XY movable stage, to scan the cantilever in a Z direction perpendicular to the X-Y plane, the Z actuator having one end fixed to the XY movable portion and the other end, which is a free end, to hold a holder configured to hold the cantilever;
- and
- a light condensing optical unit comprising at least one lens, the at least one lens being held by the XY movable stage, the Z actuator not being operable to move the at least one lens in the Z direction, and the at least one lens causing light for detecting a displacement of the cantilever to enter the cantilever,
- wherein in projection to the X-Y plane, the Z actuator and light condensing optical unit are arranged side by side.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.