Micromachined probes for nanometer scale measurements and methods of making such probes
AssigneeUniversity of Utah Research Foundation
InventorsClayton C Williams, Robert C Davis, Pavel Neuzil
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A submicrometer photodiode probe with a sub-50 nanometer tip radius is used for optical surface characterization on a nanometer scale. The nanoprobe detects subwavelength optical intensity variations in the near field of an illuminated surface. The probe comprises a metal-semiconductor Schottky diode that is constructed at the end of a micromachined tip of a semiconductor wafer. A process is disclosed for micromachining the tip of the semiconductor wafer and then of creating a photodiode at the tip, with the photodiode having an optical aperture of a size less than 1000 nanometers.
Claims13
A nanometer scale probe for use in scanning probe microscopy, said probe comprising
- a pointed tip made of a semiconductor material, said pointed tip having an apex that has a radius that is no greater than about 50 nanometers;
- a layer of insulator material covering said pointed tip;
- and
- an opening in said layer of insulator material through which a portion of said pointed tip including said apex projects.
A sharp tipped probe comprising
- a pointed tip made of a material that will allow light to pass therethrough, said pointed tip having an apex that has a radius that is no greater than about 50 nanometers;
- a layer of metal covering said pointed tip;
- an opening in said layer of metal through which a portion of said pointed tip including said apex projects.
A nanometer scale probe for use in scanning probe microscopy, said probe comprising
- a pointed tip made of a conductor material, said pointed tip having an apex that has a radius that is no greater than about 50 nanometers;
- a layer of insulator material covering said pointed tip;
- an opening in said layer of insulator material through which a portion of said pointed tip including said apex projects;
- a layer of metal covering the layer of insulator material;
- an opening in said layer of metal that coincides with the opening in said layer of insulator material so that said portion of said pointed tip including said apex projects from said opening in said layer of insulator material and said opening in said layer of metal, whereby said portion of said pointed tip that projects from said opening in said layer of insulator material and said opening in said layer of metal makes contact with only the layer of said insulator material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.