High-speed imaging by electro-magnetically actuated probe with dual spring

This paper describes a magnetically actuated cantilever with dual spring (c antilevered actuator and torsional cantilever) for a high-speed imaging of atomic force microscopy (AFM). A fabricated cantilever beam with a high res onant frequency is successfully actuated by electromagnetic force. A planar coil is placed on the free end of the cantilever beam and embedded in a gr oove formed on the silicon cantilever to get a large deflection. Static and dynamic mechanical characteristics of the fabricated probes have been meas ured. The experimental results of the mechanical properties are compared wi th the calculation results obtained from a finite element method. When flow ing a current of +/-10 mA, a static deflection of +/-2 can be achieved by a cantilever with a length of 400 mum. The scanning speed of AFM is increase d up to 1 mm/s by actuating the high resonant frequency cantilever in const ant force mode.