Scanning Microscope With Shape Correction Means

Abstract

A scanning probe microscope for measuring a surface shape of a sample by scanning a probe by bringing said probe close to, or into contact with, a sample surface and measuring a physical interaction occurring between the probe and the sample, includes a measurement area specific which specifies a measurement area of the sample on the basis of the image of the sample surface, and a measurement shape corrector which corrects the measurement result of the sample surface on the basis of the condition of the probe.

1 . A scanning probe microscope for measuring a surface shape of a sample by scanning a probe by bringing said probe close to, or into contact with, a sample surface and measuring a physical interaction occurring between said probe and said sample, comprising: 
 measurement area specifying means for specifying a measurement area of said sample on the basis of the image of said sample surface; and    measurement shape correction means for correcting the measurement result of said sample surface on the basis of the condition of said probe.    
     
     
         2 . A scanning probe microscope according to  claim 1 , wherein said measurement area specifying means specifies said measurement area of said sample on the basis of a scanning probe microscope image, near-UV range microscope image or far-UV range microscope image of said sample surface.  
     
     
         3 . A scanning probe microscope according to  claim 2 , wherein said scanning probe microscope image is an atomic force microscope image or near-field optical image of said sample surface.  
     
     
         4 . A scanning probe microscope according to  claim 2 , which further includes a measurement area specifying probe for measuring a scanning probe microscope image or atomic force microscope image of said sample surface.  
     
     
         5 . A scanning probe microscope according to  claim 4 , which further includes distance measurement means for measuring a distance between a probe for measuring a surface shape of said sample and said measurement area specifying probe on the basis of the measurement result of said sample having a distance measurement pattern.  
     
     
         6 . A scanning probe microscope according to  claim 2 , which further includes distance measurement means for measuring a distance between a probe for measuring a surface shape of said sample and said near-UV range microscope image or far-UV range microscope image on the basis of the measurement result of said sample having a distance measurement pattern.  
     
     
         7 . A scanning probe microscope according to  claim 1 , which further includes a standard sample having a known shape, and a probe condition detection means for detecting a condition of said probe on the basis of the measurement result of said standard sample, wherein said measurement shape correction means corrects the measurement result of said sample surface on the basis of the condition of said probe detected by said probe condition detection means.  
     
     
         8 . A scanning probe microscope according to  claim 7 , wherein said probe condition detection means creates in advance a measurement profile library determined from various probe conditions and a standard sample shape by simulation, searches matching between an actual measurement profile and said measurement profile library and specifies said probe condition on the basis of the matching result.