METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MEASUREMENT OF POSITION OF PROBE CHIP IN NEAR-FIELD OPTICAL MICROSCOPE AND CONTROL DEVICE THEREFOR

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To measure the position of a probe chip in a near-field optical microscope by using a small apparatus and by a simple adjustment by a method wherein laser light for control is transmitted by using an optical fiber so as to be radiated to the probe chip. ;SOLUTION: In a measuring method, a probe chip 5 which radiates laser light for observation is vibrated at a sample 9, and the distance between the tip of the probe chip 5 and the sample 9 is decided on the basis of the amplitude of the vibration. In addition, an optical fiber 3 is used, laser light, for control, at a prescribed wavelength is transmitted from a semiconductor laser 1 so as to be radiated to the probe chip 5. In addition, by using the interference between reflected light at the end face 3a of the optical fiber 3 and scattered light from the probe chip 5, the position of the probe chip 5 from the end face 3a of the optical fiber 3 is measured in a noncontact manner. In this manner, an optical part which is composed of the semiconductor laser 1 and the like and an interference part are separated, and both parts are coupled by the optical fiber 3. Thereby, the respective parts can be separated and arranged under separate environments.;COPYRIGHT: (C)1999,JPO