US Patent 7730770 Scanning probe microscope

A scanning probe microscope scans the surface of a sample while making a cantilever to which an exploratory needle is attached oscillate near its resonance point, and collects information on the surface of the sample based on the change of oscillation due to the interaction between the surface of the sample and the exploratory needle. The scanning probe microscope includes a plurality of oscillators attached to the cantilever for oscillating the cantilever, and an oscillator drive device connected to the oscillators for selectively applying an alternating voltage for excitation to the plurality of oscillators.