A COMPACT STM COMPATIBLE WITH CONVENTIONAL SEM

A compact STM unit as large as (40 x 36 x 28) mm3, that affords three-dimensional coarse positioning of the tip, has been constructed. A two-dimensional xy walker carries a z walker on which scanner and tip are mounted. The walkers are driven by the shear deformation of their legs made of stacked thickness shear and expansion piezoelectric plates. Unlimited movement of the xy walker permits completely independent positioning of the STM tip on a base plate mounted on the sample stage of a conventional SEM (JEOL JSM-820). A sample holder compatible with a standard one is seated on the center of the base plate. Rotation as well as translation and tilting of the sample is possible. This configuration enables us to install and remove the STM unit without any modification to the SEM stage.