U l t r a - S h o r t - A F M - C a n t i l e v e r s

Next generation of AFM Probes for High Speed Scanning

Concept

• development of very short, narrow and thin cantilevers with Electron Beam Deposited
  (EBD) tip for High Speed Scanning applications for present and future AFM systems
• different cantilever materials are evaluated:
  Si (poly/single crystal/111), SiN, New Material ("NM")
• joint development between NanoWorld AG and nanotools GmbH

Description of Ultra-Short-AFM-Cantilevers (USC) made of New Material

Cantilevers

• different prototypes of Ultra-Short cantilevers have been developed and
  fabricated resulting in different mechanical properties:

calculated values

Tip

• nanotools® High Dense Carbon (HDC) tip with the following dimensions:
  Height: > 2.0 m (typically 2.5
  m)
  Tip radius: < 10 nm
  Aspect ratio: approx. 1:5
  Tilt compensation: 8±1 deg

Support chip

• dimensions of the Si support chip are very reproducible (1.6 mm x 3.4 mm)
• etched and lowered corners of the Si support chip avoid contact
  between the Si support chip and the sample

Coating

• 30 nm Gold reflex coating on both sides of the cantilevers (tip uncoated)

Status

• prototypes available (have been validated by external tests)
• pre-production status: more than 50 wafers have been fabricated
• ongoing beta testing

More information on www.highspeedscanning.com