Cantilevers for a magnetically driven atomic force microscope
First Claim
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1. A force sensing cantilever for use in a scanning probe microscope, said cantilever comprising:
- a cantilever structure having a top side and a bottom side, said bottom side including a probe tip disposed downwardly therefrom;
a film of a first material which is not magnetizable disposed over said bottom side and said probe tip; and
a film of a second material which is magnetizable disposed over said top side, and wherein said first material is different from said second material, said first and second materials and the thicknesses of the respective films being selected so as to counter the tendency of said cantilever structure to bend when a film is applied only to one side thereof.
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Abstract
A force sensing cantilever for use in a scanning probe microscope has both a top side and a bottom side. From the bottom side extends a probe tip. The bottom side is coated with a thin film of a first material and the top side is coated with a thin film of a second material. The first and second materials may be the same or they may be different. The materials and thicknesses of the respective films are selected so as to create opposing forces to counter the tendency of such cantilevers to bend when a thin film is applied to only one side thereof.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A force sensing cantilever for use in a scanning probe microscope, said cantilever comprising:
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a cantilever structure having a top side and a bottom side, said bottom side including a probe tip disposed downwardly therefrom; a film of a first material which is not magnetizable disposed over said bottom side and said probe tip; and a film of a second material which is magnetizable disposed over said top side, and wherein said first material is different from said second material, said first and second materials and the thicknesses of the respective films being selected so as to counter the tendency of said cantilever structure to bend when a film is applied only to one side thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A force sensing cantilever for use in a scanning probe microscope, said cantilever comprising:
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a cantilever structure having a top side and a bottom side, said bottom side including a probe tip disposed downwardly therefrom; a film of a first material comprising Cr which is not magnetizable disposed over said bottom side and said probe tip; and a film of a second material which is magnetizable disposed over said top side, and wherein said first material is different from said second material. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. A method of fabricating a force sensing cantilever for a scanning probe microscope comprising the steps of:
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forming a cantilever structure having a top side, a bottom side, and a probe tip extending downwardly from said bottom side; placing the cantilever in a sputter deposition chamber; sputter depositing a first material which is not a magnetizable material onto the bottom side of the cantilever to form a film of said first material; and sputter depositing a second material which is magnetizable onto the top side of the cantilever to form a film of said second material, said first and second materials and the thicknesses of the respective films being selected so as to counter the tendency of said cantilever structure to bend when a film is applied only to one side thereof. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of fabricating a force sensing cantilever for a scanning probe microscope comprising the steps of:
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forming a cantilever structure having a top side, a bottom side and a probe tip extending downwardly from said bottom side; placing the cantilever in a sputter deposition chamber; selecting a non-magnetic material and thin film thickness to counter the bending force that will be applied by a deposited film of a selected magnetic material; sputter depositing said non-magnetic material onto the bottom side of the cantilever to said selected thickness; and sputter depositing said selected magnetic material onto the top side of the cantilever. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A force sensing cantilever for use in a scanning probe microscope, said cantilever comprising:
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a cantilever structure with a spring constant of less than 1 N/m and having a top side and a bottom side, said bottom side including a probe tip disposed downwardly therefrom; a film of a first material which is not magnetizable disposed over said bottom side and said probe tip; and a film of a second material which is magnetizable disposed over said top side, and wherein said first material is different from said second material, said first and second materials and the thicknesses of the respective films being selected so as to counter the tendency of said cantilever structure to bend when a film is applied only to one side thereof. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A method of fabricating a force sensing cantilever for a scanning probe microscope comprising the steps of:
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forming a cantilever structure having a spring constant of less than 1 N/m, a top side, a bottom side, and a probe tip extending downwardly from said bottom side; placing the cantilever in a sputter deposition chamber; sputter depositing a first material which is not magnetizable onto the bottom side of the cantilever to form a film of said first material; and sputter depositing a second material which is magnetizable onto the top side of the cantilever to form a film of said second material, wherein said first and second materials are different and the thicknesses of the respective films are selected so as to counter the tendency of said cantilever structure to bend when a film is applied only to one side thereof. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A method of fabricating a force sensing cantilever for a scanning probe microscope comprising the steps of:
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forming a cantilever structure having a spring constant of less than 1 N/m, a top side, a bottom side, and a probe tip extending downwardly from said bottom side; placing the cantilever in a sputter deposition chamber; selecting a non-magnetic material and thin film thickness to counter the bending force that will be applied by a deposited film of a selected magnetic material; sputter depositing said non-magnetic material onto the bottom side of the cantilever to said selected thickness; and sputter depositing said selected magnetic material onto the top side of the cantilever. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification