Self-detecting type of SPM probe and SPM device
AssigneesSeiko Instruments Inc., International Business Machines Corporation
InventorsHiroshi Takahashi, Yoshiharu Shirakawabe, Nobuhiro Shimizu, Michel Despont
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A self-detecting type of SPM probe can eliminate influences of a leak current between piezo-resistors each other, between another piezo-resistors opposite to each other, or between the piezo-resistor and the other one, or of a carrier generated by irradiation of light thereto over the piezo-resistors by forming impurity diffusion layers each consisting of a conductive type (n− well regions) reverse to a conductive type of a semiconductor substrate (p-type silicon substrate) on each interface between each of the piezo-resistors and the semiconductor substrate respectively to insulate the elements from one another.
Claims15
A self-detecting SPM probe comprising:
- a substrate;
- an insulating layer formed on the substrate;
- and a plurality of U-shaped semiconductor islands formed on the insulating layer, each semiconductor island having a U-shaped piezo-resistor formed therein so that adjacent legs of the U-shaped piezo-resistors are formed in adjacent legs of the semiconductor islands such that an insulating region is formed between adjacent U-shaped piezo-resistors and between adjacent legs of the respective U-shaped piezo-resistors.
An SPM probe comprising:
- a substrate;
- an embedded insulating layer formed on the substrate;
- and a plurality of U-shaped islands formed over the embedded insulating layer, each U-shaped island having a U-shaped piezo-resistor formed therein so that adjacent U-shaped piezo-resistors and adjacent legs of the respective U-shaped piezo-resistors are electrically isolated from each other.
A method of forming an SPM probe on a semiconductor substrate, comprising the steps of:
- forming a lever portion in the substrate;
- forming a supporting portion in the substrate for supporting the lever portion;
- forming a U-shaped impurity region in the substrate having adjacent legs extending from the lever portion to the supporting portion, the impurity region having a conductivity type opposite that of the substrate;
- and forming a U-shaped piezo-resistor in the U-shaped impurity region.
A method of forming an SPM probe on a semiconductor substrate, comprising:
- a step for forming a lever portion in the substrate;
- a step for forming a tip having a sharp point in the lever portion proximate a first end thereof;
- a step for forming a supporting portion in the substrate for supporting a second end of the lever portion opposite the first end;
- a step for forming a U-shaped piezo-resistor in the SPM probe extending from the lever portion to the supporting portion;
- and a step for forming an impurity region in the substrate to electrically isolate adjacent legs of the U-shaped piezo-resistor from each other.
A method of forming an SPM probe comprising the steps of:
- providing a substrate having top and bottom surfaces;
- etching the top surface of the substrate to form a tip having a sharp point therein;
- forming a U-shaped piezo-resistor in the top surface of the substrate;
- etching the top surface of the substrate in the shape of a cantilever probe having a lever portion and a supporting portion for supporting the lever portion at an end thereof, the etching being conducted so that the sharp point is proximate a distal end of the lever portion opposite the supporting portion and the U-shaped piezo-resistor extends from the supporting portion to the lever portion;
- forming an impurity region in the substrate to electrically isolate adjacent legs of the U-shaped piezo-resistor from each other;
- and
- etching the bottom surface of the substrate so that a thickness of the supporting portion is greater than that of the lever portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.