Method of fabricating a sharp protrusion

Abstract

A method of fabricating a sharp protrusion on an underlayer is disclosed. A tip layer is deposited on an underlayer and then a mask layer is deposited on the tip layer. The mask layer is patterned with a beam-and-hat pattern that is used to form a beam-and-hat mask in the mask layer. Portions of the tip layer that are not covered by the beam-and-hat mask are isotropically etched to form a tip including a vertex. Beam portions of the beam-and-hat mask support the hat portion and prevent a release of the hat portion during the isotropic etching process. An anisotropic etch process can be used prior to the isotropic etching process to change a character of the tip. The underlayer can be patterned and etched to form a cantilever that includes the sharp protrusion extending outward of a surface of the cantilever.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.