Force sensing probe for scanning probe microscopy
AssigneesMolecular Imaging Corporation, Arizona Board of Regents
InventorsStuart M. Lindsay, Tianwei Jing
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Force sensing probes for use in scanning probe microscopes and a method for coating such probes with a film comprising a magnetostrictive material are provided. The probes may be magnetized by placing them in a magnetic field which can be oriented in any direction with respect to the probes. The magnetostrictive effect leads to a compression or expansion of the magnetic film, altering its length by the strength of the applied field. This in turn causes the probe, which in a preferred embodiment is in the form of a cantilever, and the applied magnetic film, to deflect or bend. The consequent motion of the probe is much greater than that obtained by direct application of a magnetic force and the effect is not sensitive to the direction of the applied field.
Claims26
A force sensing probe for sensing the properties of a surface or interface comprising a probe and a film comprising a magnetostrictive material on said probe.
A force sensing cantilever for an atomic force microscope comprising a cantilever structure having a top surface and a bottom surface, said bottom surface including a probe tip disposed downwardly therefrom, a film comprising a magnetostrictive material coated onto one of said surfaces and a film comprising a different material coated onto the other of said surfaces.
A scanning probe microscope for sensing the properties of a surface or interface comprising a probe, a film comprising a magnetostrictive material on said probe, a source for producing a magnetic field to cause deflection of said probe, and a detector for sensing the deflection of said probe.
A method of magnetizing a probe for sensing the properties of a surface or interface comprising the steps of forming a film comprising a magnetostrictive material on a surface of said probe and exposing said probe to a magnetic field in the range of from about 0.1 to about 20,000 Oersteds.
A method of magnetizing a force sensing cantilever for a scanning probe microscope comprising the steps of:
- forming a cantilever having a top surface, a bottom surface and a probe tip extending downwardly from said bottom surface;
- sputter depositing a first film comprising a magnetostrictive material onto said bottom surface of said cantilever;
- and
- sputter depositing a second film comprising a different material onto said top surface of said cantilever.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.