Patent · US Expired

Tunnel current probe moving mechanism having parallel cantilevers

US5075548A · kind A · utility

14Cited by
8References
24Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJul 11, 1990
Grant dateDec 24, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 11, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S977/873
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A tunnel current probe moving mechanism includes first and second substrates and at least two parallel cantilevers. The first substrate has a tunnel current probe group arranged on its surface. The tunnel current probe group includes probes which are two-dimensionally arranged at a predetermined pitch and have distal ends aligned within the same plane. The second substrate is arranged to oppose the tunnel current probe group on the first substrate, and can approach at a position where a tunnel current flows between the tunnel current probe group and the second substrate. These two cantilevers have the same length and are arranged parallel to each other on at least one of the first and second substrates. Each cantilever includes a plurality of piezoelectric driving members. When the piezoelectric driving elements are driven in response to a predetermined driving signal, the probe group is translated along the second substrate while a predetermined distance is kept between the probe group and the second substrate.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.