V-shaped metallic-wire cantilevers for combined atomic force microscopy and Fowler-Nordheim imaging

A method for fabricating V-shaped cantilevers from a flattened Pt/ir metal wire for combined atomic force microscopy and Fowler-Nordheim imaging is de scribed. These novel cantilevers have been found to be more robust then con ventional ones used for scanning capacitance and magnetic force microscopy as their conductivity is maintained even after a large number of surface sc ans. The use of a V-shaped geometry improves on earlier single-beam geometr ies by reducing rms imaging noise. Characterization of these cantilevers an d combined atomic force microscopy and Fowler-Nordheim images are reported.