Probe for a scanning probe microscope and method of manufacture
OwnerKevin Kjoller, Ami Chand +1inventors
InventorsKevin Kjoller, Ami Chand, Nihat Okulan
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Abstract
A probe assembly for an instrument and a method of manufacture includes a substrate and a cantilever having a length independent of typical alignment error during fabrication. In one embodiment, the probe assembly includes a buffer section interposed between the substrate and the cantilever. The cantilever extends from the buffer section and a portion of the buffer section extends beyond an edge of the substrate. The portion of the buffer section is more stiff than the cantilever. The corresponding method of producing the probe assembly facilitates batch fabrication without compromising probe performance.
Claims32
A probe assembly for a surface analysis instrument, the probe assembly comprising:
- a substrate defining a base of the probe assembly;
- a cantilever extending from the base and having a distal end;
- wherein a length of said cantilever is independent of alignment error during probe fabrication.
A method of fabricating a probe assembly for a surface analysis instrument, the method comprising:
- forming a probe of the probe assembly, the probe including a cantilever;
- and
- wherein a length of the cantilever is independent of an alignment error associated with said forming step.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.