The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 12, 1995
Filed:
Oct. 29, 1993
Robert B Marcus, Murray Hill, NJ (US);
William N Carr, W. Milford, NJ (US);
Other;
Roxburgh Ltd., Douglas, GB;
Abstract
A microprobe comprises a base, a microcantilever extending in a plane from the base, and a probe tip projecting from the microcantilever out of the plane. The microcantilever is a bimorph structure comprising first and second layers made from materials having different coefficients of thermal expansion, and an integrated heated element for supplying heat to the microcantilever. The probe tip is made from silicon and comes to a radius that can be controlled to atomic sharpness (<1 nm) if desired. Alternatively, the probe tip is a planar structure. Desirably, the microcantilever is made from a metal, such as aluminum, and silicon oxide as the materials of the two layers. The heating element comprises a line or ribbon of a conductive material, such as polysilicon which is in contact with one of the two layers, and supplies heat, thereby causing the probe tip to traverse an arc and bring it into contact with a material under investigation.