Scanning force microscope thermal microprobe
US5959241A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 30, 1998 |
| Grant date | Sep 28, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 30, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S977/875
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A small bimetallic thermocouple probe device for use in scanning atomic force microscopy is mass produced by etching and oxidatively sharpening silicon points on a standard silicon wafer. The sharpened points are oxidized and the first thermocouple metal layer is deposited and patterned. The intermetal dielectric layer is deposited and removed in the area of the tip of the probe by a simple double spin photoresist process having a drying cycle between the two spins. The exposed tips have the dielectric etched, and the second thermocouple metal is deposited and patterned. The finished thermocouples are produced by etching the silicon from the back side of the wafer to free up the cantilevered structure which the probe are constructed upon. With such a procedure, large numbers of tiny, low thermal mass scanning atomic force microscope thermocouple probes may be inexpensively manufactured.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.