Modular design of AFM probe with sputtered silicon tip

We present an atomic force microscopy (AFM) probe with integrated piezoresi stive read-out. The probe consists of a micromachined cantilever with a tip at the end. The cantilever is a multilayer structure with its thickness de fined by etch-stop and the bending controlled by fitting the thicknesses of the thin films constituting the cantilever. The AFM probe has an integrate d tip made of a thick sputtered silicon layer, which is deposited after the probe has been defined and just before the cantilevers are released. The t ips are so-called rocket tips made by reactive ion etching. We present prob es with polysilicon resistors for demonstrating the fabrication principle. The probes have been characterised with respect to noise and deflection sen sitivity and have been applied in AFM imaging. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B. V. All rights reserved.