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Micromachined SPM probes with sub‐100 nm features at tip apex
Author(s) -
Schürmann G.,
Indermühle P. F.,
Staufer U.,
de Rooij N. F.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
surface and interface analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1096-9918
pISSN - 0142-2421
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1096-9918(199905/06)27:5/6<299::aid-sia510>3.0.co;2-v
Subject(s) - microfabrication , fabrication , materials science , scanning probe microscopy , nanotechnology , microelectrode , optics , surface micromachining , electrode , optoelectronics , chemistry , medicine , alternative medicine , physics , pathology
We have developed a fabrication process that allows thin films tobe patterned at the end of a sharp tip. Using this method, manydifferent material contrasts can be achieved on the apex of ascanning probe microscope tip. For example, small apertures down to30 nm have been patterned into an aluminium film covering quartz tipsto form scanning near‐field optical microscopy probes. Also,small well‐defined metal electrodes can be fabricated on thetip apex, which can be used for electrochemical measurements. The tipstructuring process is a batch fabrication method and is based onCMOS‐compatible technologies, which means that it can beintegrated easily into an existing microfabrication process.Furthermore, it allows the patterning of a wide range of tip heights,materials or geometries. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & SonsLtd.