Atomic force microscope system with angled cantilever having integral in-plane tip
US5729026A · kind A · utility
14Cited by
20References
25Claims
0Family size
Assignee
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Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 29, 1996 |
| Grant date | Mar 17, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 29, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S977/873
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An atomic force microscope system incorporates a single-crystal silicon cantilever with an integral tip. The cantilever is supported in the AFM system so that it makes an acute angle with the surface of the sample to be scanned. The tip is formed by the convergence of three planes, one of which is one of the two generally parallel planes which define the thickness of the cantilever. The tip lies between the cantilever's two thickness-defining planar surfaces and is thus an in-plane integral tip. The AFM system may have the cantilever surface that converges to the tip oriented to either face the sample or face away from the sample.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.