Microprobe for surface-scanning microscopes
US5606162A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 1, 1996 |
| Grant date | Feb 25, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 1, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S977/873
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The invention provides, for a surface-scanning microscope, a probe having comparable stiffness in respect of deflections in two different directions, namely the direction towards and away from the surface and a direction in a plane parallel to the surface. For that purpose the probe, which comprises a support body, a resilient arm or cantilever having one end supported by the support body and another, free, end having thereon a sharp tip or stylus, has its arm or cantilever meander-shape. The invention further provides a method making such a probe, having its support body and tip or stylus as integral parts, from a wafer of crystalline material by etching.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.