Scanning tunneling microscope

Claim 2

A scanning tunneling microscope comprising: a tip holder having a tip; a piezoelectric drive mechanism which drives the tip and to which the tip holder is detachably mounted; means for holding a sample; a replacement rod for replacing the tip holder, the replacement rod being mounted so as to be moving along the Z-axis of a coordinate system, the Z-axis extending through the tip holder and across the surface of the sample during observation; and means for moving the sample away from the Z-axis during the replacement.

Claim 3

A scanning tunneling microscope comprising: a tip holder having a tip; a piezoelectric drive mechanism which drives the tip and to which the tip holder is detachably mounted; a sample holder holding a sample; and a sample stage upon which the sample holder is mounted; and a replacement rod having a chuck for gripping the sample holder or the tip holder, the replacement rod being mounted so as to be moving along the Z-axis of a coordinate system, the Z-axis extending through the sample holder and across the surface of the sample during observation.

Claim 4

A scanning tunneling microscope comprising: a tip holder having a tip; a piezoelectric drive mechanism which drives the tip and to which the tip holder is detachably mounted; a sample holder holding a sample; and a sample stage upon which the sample holder is mounted; and a replacement rod having a chuck for gripping the sample holder or the tip holder, the replacement rod being mounted so as to be moving along the Z-axis of a coordinate system, the Z-axis extending through the sample holder and across the surface of the sample during observation.

Claim 5

A scanning tunnelling microscope comprising: a tip drive mechanism for driving a tip mounted detachably; an observation chamber accommodating the drive mechanism; a transfer chamber connected with the observation chamber via a first partition valve; a preliminary chamber connected with the transfer chamber via a second partition valve; an insertion rod for inserting a new tip into the transfer chamber via both preliminary chamber and the second partition valve; a moving member which carry new tips introduced by the insertion rod and is moved inside the transfer chamber between a first position where the new tips are installed upon the moving member and a second position where the new tips are inserted into the observation chamber; and a replacement rod which, when the moving member is in the second position, receives a new tip from the moving member and carries the tip into the observation chamber via the second partition valve.

Claim 6

A scanning tunnelling microscope comprising: a tip drive mechanism for driving a tip mounted detachably; an observation chamber accommodating the drive mechanism; a transfer chamber connected with the observation chamber via a first partition valve; a preliminary chamber connected with the transfer chamber via a second partition valve; an insertion rod for inserting a new tip into the transfer chamber via both preliminary chamber and the second partition valve; a moving member which carry new tips introduced by the insertion rod and is moved inside the transfer chamber between a first position where the new tips are installed upon the moving member and a second position where the new tips are inserted into the observation chamber; and a replacement rod which, when the moving member is in the second position, receives a new tip from the moving member and carries the tip into the observation chamber via the second partition valve.

Claim 7

The scanning tunneling microscope of claim 3, wherein the moving member takes the form of a transfer rod capable of moving between the first and second positions in the transfer chamber, and wherein a plurality of new tips are detachably installed radially around the axis of the transfer rod.

Claim 8

A scanning tunneling microscope comprising: a tip holder having a tip; a sample stage holding a sample in such a way that the tip is spaced from the sample surface along the Z-axis of a coordinate system; a piezoelectric drive mechanism driving the tip and to which the tip holder is detachably mounted; a base upon which the sample stage and the piezoelectric drive mechanism are disposed; and a mechanical means for moving the drive mechanism along Z-axis between a first position at which the mechanism for cleaning the sample surface is close to the sample upon the base and a second position at which the mechanism is distant from the sample.

Claim 9

A scanning tunneling microscope comprising: a tip holder having a tip; a sample stage holding a sample in such a way that the tip is spaced from the sample surface along the Z-axis of a coordinate system; a piezoelectric drive mechanism driving the tip and to which the tip holder is detachably mounted; a base upon which the sample stage and the piezoelectric drive mechanism are disposed; and a mechanical means for moving the drive mechanism along Z-axis between a first position at which the mechanism for cleaning the sample surface is close to the sample upon the base and a second position at which the mechanism is distant from the sample.