PURPOSE: To provide a means capable of automatically allowing a probe positioned at a position sufficiently separated from a sample to approach the sample in a short period of time concerning a drive control device of a rectilinear drive element used for a coarse adjustment of a scanning type tunnel microscope and others.

CONSTITUTION: A probe drive means 1 to move a probe 10 toward a sample 2, an incident light irradiation means 3 to radiate incident light to the neighborhood of the surface of this sample 2 in parallel with the surface of the sample 2, a scattered light detection means 4 to detect change of scattered light generated at the time when the probe 10 approaches the sample 2 and a drive control means 5 to control the probe drive means 1 are furnished, and this drive control means 5 carries out drive stop control of the probe drive means 1 in accordance with a detection signal. In addition to the scattered light by the probe 10, it is possible to detect transmitted light and reflected light from the surface of the sample, 2 and additionally, it is possible to polarize the incident light and to detect the scattered light from the sample 2 and others through a polarizing element having a plane of polarization orthogonal with the plane of polarization of the incident light.