A self-detecting type cantilever for an atomic force microscope (AFM) has an
electro-flexural
conversion element for converting a flexural amount of the cantilever into an electric
current or voltage, a temperature measurement element disposed at a front end portion
of the cantilever for measuring a temperature, and a heating element disposed at
the front end portion of the cantilever for heating the temperature measurement
element. The temperature measurement element and the heating element are superposed
with each other on a main face of the cantilever via an electrical insulating layer.
As a result, even if the amount of electric energy supplied to the heating element
is reduced, it is possible to effectively supply an amount of heat necessary for
measurement to the temperature measurement element. Therefore, by minimizing the
heat to be supplied to a sample and the cantilever, the respondency of measurement
is improved and temperature measurement can be performed with a high degree of accuracy.