IMPROVEMENT OF THERMALLY-INDUCED BENDING OF CANTILEVERS USED FOR ATOMIC-FORCE MICROSCOPY

The microfabricated silicon nitride cantilevers that are used for atom ic force microscopy (AFM) are, unfortunately, sensitive thermometers. They bend with ambient temperature changes and those due to laser heat ing. The bend can result in displacements for the silicon nitride cant ilevers of an order several hundred nanometers at the tip of the canti lever. If, however, the silicon nitride cantilevers are treated by rem oving the metallization and annealing at 500 degrees C for 30 min, the se displacements can be reduced by one or two orders of magnitude. Sil icon cantilevers have approximately a one order of magnitude smaller d rift than silicon nitride cantilevers as received from vendors and are improved less by treatment.