Method of making microscope probe tips
US5540958A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 14, 1994 |
| Grant date | Jul 30, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 14, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01Q70/06
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method of manufacturing a microscope probe tip comprises the steps of depositing a first material over a substrate, such as silicon oxide over a silicon substrate using chemical vapor deposition. The first material is patterned to define at least one structural protrusion. During this patterning, the first material is etched back. Then a second material, such as silicon oxide, is deposited over the protrusion using an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) process, which grows a sloped surface to form the microscope probe tip. In another aspect of the invention, two different resolution Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) probe tips are grown. Then, the cantilevers are coupled together to provide an AFM with two probe tips having different resolutions.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.