HYBRID SPM PROBE WITH PLATINUM CANTILEVER AND TIP FOR ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTING MODE SPM EXPERIMENTS

Recently electrically conducting SPM probes were used as read/write sensor of magneto-resistive nanopillars and ferroelectric domains in the development of >1 Tb/inch2 data storage. Since metal coated (platinum (Pt) or Pt/iridium) silicon (Si) probes are not suitable at high current densities, probes with an entire metallic tip form a solution, such as tungsten or platinum. We present the fabrication of a hybrid SPM probe with full platinum cantilever and tip. The body of the probe consists of the negative type photopolymer SU-8, hexagonally structured. This enables a dry under-etch probe release. A high yield with straight cantilevers is obtained. Figure 1a) shows a probe with two 100-µm-long cantilevers. Figure 1b) shows a Pt-cantilever in detail. Figure 1c) gives a close-up of a tip. A tip radius better than 20 nm is measured. First analyses show a resistance to electrical currents beyond 10 mA.