Diamond probe and forming method thereof

• US 5,010,249 A
• Filed: 09/13/1989
• Issued: 04/23/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Nishikawa, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Berman, Jack I.
• Application Number:
  US07/406,458
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 250/306, 250/307, 156/632, 324/158 P
• US Class Current: 216/11
• CPC Class Codes: G01Q 70/14 Particular materials
• CPC Class Codes: G01Q 70/16 Probe manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2201/30457 Diamond
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 9/025 of field emission cathodes

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a probe having an extremely hard and acute tip, which involves the steps of precipitating a carbon film mixed with a columnar diamond crystal and an amorphous carbonic component at a tip of a probe material; and protruding the columnar diamond crystal by selectively etching the amorphous carbonic component. According to the present invention, it is possible to improve a resolving power of the analyzing device and probe durability as well.

Claims

1. A method of forming a diamond probe, comprising the steps of:

precipitating a carbon film comprised of a mixture of a columnar diamond crystal and an amorphous carbonic component at a pointed tip of a probe material by a gas-phase synthesizing method;

thereafter causing said columnar diamond crystal to protrude by selectively etching only said amorphous carbonic component; and

subsequently coating a conductive film on a probe formed with said protruded columnar diamond crystal.

2. A diamond probe comprising:

a probe material having a pointed tip on which to form a carbon film comprised of a mixture of a columnar diamond crystal and an amorphous carbonic component, and a conductive film coated on said carbon film.