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:
Sep. 19, 2000
Filed:
May. 20, 1998
Stuart M Lindsay, Phoenix, AZ (US);
Tianwei Jing, Tempe, AZ (US);
Molecular Imaging Corporation, Phoenix, AZ (US);
Arizona Board of Regents, Tempe, AZ (US);
Abstract
Force sensing probes for use in scanning probe microscopes and a method for coating such probes with a film comprising a magnetostrictive material are provided. The probes may be magnetized by placing them in a magnetic field which can be oriented in any direction with respect to the probes. The magnetostrictive effect leads to a compression or expansion of the magnetic film, altering its length by the strength of the applied field. This in turn causes the probe, which in a preferred embodiment is in the form of a cantilever, and the applied magnetic film, to deflect or bend. The consequent motion of the probe is much greater than that obtained by direct application of a magnetic force and the effect is not sensitive to the direction of the applied field.