Probe system comprising an electric-field-aligned probe tip and method for fabricating the same

US7735147B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The Regents of the University of California · US

Inventors

• Sungho Jin · Millington, US
• Li-Han Chen · Tainan, TW
• I-Chen Chen · Taoyuan, TW

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 10, 2006
• Grant date: Jun 8, 2010
• Expiry date: Apr 26, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T428/11
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A mechanically stable and oriented scanning probe tip comprising a carbon nanotube having a base with gradually decreasing diameter, with a sharp tip at the probe tip. Such a tip or an array of tips is produced by depositing a catalyst metal film on a substrate (10 & 12 in FIG. 1(a)), depositing a carbon dot (14 in FIG. 1(b)) on the catalyst metal film, etching away the catalyst metal film (FIG. 1(c)) not masked by the carbon dot, removing the carbon dot from the catalyst metal film to expose the catalyst metal film (FIG. 1(d)), and growing a carbon nanotube probe tip on the catalyst film (16 in FIG. 1(e)). The carbon probe tips can be straight, angled, or sharply bent and have various technical applications.