US 6,656,369 B2 · Method for fabricating a scanning probe microscope probe

Abstract

A scanning probe microscope probe is formed by depositing probe material in a mold that has a cavity in a shape and of a size of the desired form of the scanning probe microscope probe that is being fabricated. In the preferred embodiment, the cavity is formed by lithographically defining, in the body of the mold, the shape and the size of the desired scanning probe microscope probe and etching the body of the mold to form the cavity. Prior to depositing the probe material in the cavity in the mold, the cavity is lined with a release layer which, upon activation after the probe has been formed, permits removal of the probe.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for fabricating a scanning probe microscope probe comprising the steps of:

providing a mold having, in the body of the mold, a cavity in a shape and of a size of a desired form of a scanning probe microscope probe;
lining said cavity with a release layer;
depositing a probe material in said cavity over said release layer to form a scanning probe microscope probe;
and
activating said release layer to release said scanning probe microscope probe from said cavity.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

10/053,314Filed 17 Jan 2002

Published

US 2003/0132191 A117 Jul 2003

Granted

2 Dec 2003

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

G01Q 70/16
General aspects of SPM probes, their manufacture or their related instrumentation, insofar as they are not specially adapted to a single SPM…:…
B82Y 35/00
Methods or apparatus for measurement or analysis of nanostructures
G01Q
Scanning-probe techniques or apparatus
B82Y
Specific uses or applications of nanostructures

Method for fabricating a scanning probe microscope probe

Life of this patent

Method for fabricating a scanning probe microscope probe

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20