Modular design of AFM probe with sputtered silicon tip

We present an atomic force microscopy (AFM) probe with integrated piezoresistive read-out. The probe consists of a micromachined cantilever with a tip at the end. The cantilever is a multilayer structure with its thickness defined by etch-stop and the bending controlled by fitting the thicknesses of the thin films constituting the cantilever. The AFM probe has an integrated 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 tips are so-called rocket tips made by reactive ion etching. We present probes with polysilicon resistors for demonstrating the fabrication principle. The probes have been characterised with respect to noise and deflection sensitivity and have been applied in AFM imaging. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.