Cantilever probes for high speed AFM

• Published in: Microsystem technologies Vol. 18; no. 7-8; pp. 1119 - 1126
• Main Authors: Richter, C., Weinzierl, P., Engl, W., Penzkofer, C., Irmer, B., Sulzbach, T.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.08.2012; Springer
• Subjects: Atomic force microscopes; Electronics and Microelectronics; Engineering; Exact sciences and technology; Instrumentation; Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy; Mechanical Engineering; Mechanical instruments, equipment and techniques; Micromechanical devices and systems; Nanotechnology; Physics; Scanning probe microscopes, components and techniques; Technical Paper; Silicon Nitride; Atomic Force Microscopy Probe; Monocrystalline Silicon; Atomic Force Microscopy; Poly Silicon; Finite element method; Atomic force microscopy; Microscope tips; Scanning probe microscopy; Data acquisition; Resonance frequency; Van der Waals interaction; Flexibility; High-speed techniques; Cantilever beam; Electrostatic force; Production process
• ISSN: 0946-7076; 1432-1858
• DOI: 10.1007/s00542-012-1454-8

Since the invention in 1986 atomic force microscopy (AFM) has become the most widely used scanning probe microscopy (Binnig et al. in Phys Rev Lett 56:930–933, 1986 ). The microscope images the interaction of forces like Van der Waals or Coulomb forces between a sample and the apex of a small tip integrated near the free end of a flexible cantilever. But as all other scanning probe techniques the AFM requires serial data acquisition and suffers therefore from a low temporal resolution. Enhancing the speed to video rate imaging makes high demands on scanner technology, control electronics and on the key feature the cantilever with integrated sharp stylus. For the cantilever probes, fundamental resonance frequencies in the MHz regime are envisaged while the force constant of a few nN/nm shall be maintained. We present different novel AFM probes with ultrashort cantilevers and integrated sharp tips for high speed AFM while focusing on widely dispersed applications and on aspects of mass fabrication.