Electrically conducting, ultra-sharp, high aspect-ratio probes for AFM fabricated by electron-beam-induced deposition of platinum

We report on the fabrication of electrically conducting, ultra-sharp, high-aspect ratio probes for atomic force microscopy by electron-beam-induced deposition of platinum. Probes of 4.0 ±1.0nm radius-of-curvature are routinely produced with high repeatability and near-100% yield. Contact-mode topogr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ultramicroscopy 2013-10, Vol.133, p.62-66
Main Authors: Brown, Jason, Kocher, Paul, Ramanujan, Chandra S, Sharp, David N, Torimitsu, Keiichi, Ryan, John F
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
AFM probes
Atomic force microscopy
Conducting AFM
Conduction
Density
Deposition
Electric Conductivity
Electron-beam-induced deposition
Electrons
Gold - chemistry
Imaging
Microscopy, Atomic Force - methods
Nanospheres
Platinum
Platinum - chemistry
Spectra
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Summary:We report on the fabrication of electrically conducting, ultra-sharp, high-aspect ratio probes for atomic force microscopy by electron-beam-induced deposition of platinum. Probes of 4.0 ±1.0nm radius-of-curvature are routinely produced with high repeatability and near-100% yield. Contact-mode topographical imaging of the granular nature of a sputtered gold surface is used to assess the imaging performance of the probes, and the derived power spectral density plots are used to quantify the enhanced sensitivity as a function of spatial frequency. The ability of the probes to reproduce high aspect-ratio features is illustrated by imaging a close-packed array of nanospheres. The electrical resistance of the probes is measured to be of order 100kΩ. •Electrically conducting, ultra-sharp, high aspect-ratio probes for AFM with radius-of-curvature 4.0±±1.0nm.•AFM probe fabrication by electron-beam-induced deposition of platinum.•Enhanced spatial resolution demonstrated through AFM of sputtered gold grains.•AFM imaging of deep clefts and recesses on a close-packed array of nanospheres.
ISSN:0304-3991
1879-2723
DOI:10.1016/j.ultramic.2013.05.005