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US 6,664,540 B2Granted
Microprobe and sample surface measuring apparatus
AssigneeSeiko Instruments Inc.
InventorsNobuhiro Shimizu, Yoshiharu Shirakawabe, Hiroshi Takahashi, Chiaki Yasumuro
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A microprobe has a cantilever having a first lever portion having a free end portion, a second lever portion having a front end portion from which the first lever portion projects, and a support portion for supporting the second lever portion. A piezoresistive element is disposed on the second lever portion for bending the second lever portion.
Claims20
A microprobe comprising:
- a cantilever having at least one first lever portion having a free end portion, a second lever portion having a first end from which the first lever portion projects and a second end opposite to the first end, and a support portion connected to the second end of the second lever portion for supporting the second lever portion;
- and at least one first piezoresistive element disposed on the second lever portion for bending the second lever portion to displace the first lever portion.
A sample surface measuring apparatus for observing a surface of a sample, the sample surface measuring apparatus comprising:
- a microprobe comprised of a cantilever having at least one first lever portion having a free end portion, a second lever portion having a first end from which the first lever portion projects and a second end opposite to the first end, a support portion connected to the second end of the second lever portion for supporting the second lever portion, and at least one first piezoresistive element disposed on the second lever portion for bending the second lever portion to displace the first lever portion;
- and driving means for driving the first piezoresistive element of the microprobe.
A microprobe comprising:
- a cantilever having a first lever portion, a second lever portion connected to the first lever portion at a first connection portion, and a support portion connected to the second lever portion at a second connection portion for supporting the second lever portion;
- a first piezoresistive element disposed proximate the second connection portion for displacing the second lever portion along with the first lever portion;
- and a second piezoresistive element disposed proximate the first connection portion for detecting a displacement amount of the first lever portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.