Microminiature cantilever stylus

US4943719A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Univeristy · US

Inventors

• Shinya Akamine · Palo Alto, US
• Thomas R. Albrecht · San Jose, US
• Thomas E. Carver · Mountain View, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 17, 1989
• Grant date: Jul 24, 1990
• Expiry date: Jan 17, 2009

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S977/879
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Integral sharp tips on thin film cantilevers are produced by forming a rectangular silicon post on a (100) silicon wafer. Etching the top of the post leaves sharp silicon tips at the corners of what remains of the silicon post. A silicon dioxide cantilever with an integral tip is thermally grown over the silicon wafer and the sharp silicon tips.