Abstract: Semiconductor strain gages fabricated on Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) material, and the method of making them. Force sensing elements are uniformly batch-fabricated at wafer level and singulated individually by a wire bonding method. In another method, they are singulated by plucking them off the wafer from their attachment site.

Abstract: Semiconductor strain gages fabricated on Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) material, and the method of making them. Force sensing elements are uniformly batch-fabricated at wafer level and singulated individually by a wire bonding method. In another method, they are singulated by plucking them off the wafer from their attachment site.

Abstract: Semiconductor strain gages fabricated on Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) material, and the method of making them. Force sensing elements are uniformly batch-fabricated at wafer level and singulated individually by a wire bonding method. In another method, they are singulated by plucking them off the wafer from their attachment site.

Abstract: A probe assembly for an instrument and a method of manufacture includes a substrate and a cantilever having a length that is independent of typical alignment error during fabrication. In one embodiment, the probe assembly includes a buffer section interposed between the substrate and the cantilever. The cantilever extends from the buffer section and a portion of the buffer section extends beyond an edge of the substrate. The portion of the buffer section is more stiff than the cantilever. The corresponding method of producing the probe assembly facilitates batch fabrication without compromising probe performance.

Abstract: A body fluid sampling or fluid delivery system includes a polymeric support and an array of polymeric microneedles coupled to the support, each of a microneedle having a height of 500 to 2000 ?m and a tapering angle of 60 to 90°. A plurality of polymeric microchannels are provided with being associated with a microneedle. The plurality of polymeric microchannels are integrally formed with the array of polymeric microneedles without bonding. At least one polymeric reservoir is coupled to the plurality of microchannels.

Abstract: A probe assembly for an instrument and a method of manufacture includes a substrate and a cantilever having a length that is independent of typical alignment error during fabrication. In one embodiment, the probe assembly includes a buffer section interposed between the substrate and the cantilever. The cantilever extends from the buffer section and a portion of the buffer section extends beyond an edge of the substrate. The portion of the buffer section is more stiff than the cantilever. The corresponding method of producing the probe assembly facilitates batch fabrication without compromising probe performance.

Abstract: Probes for use in a scanning probe microscope and methods of manufacturing such probes. Each probe includes a probe tip having a substantially vertical sidewall formed by an anisotropic etching process and a flared post underlying the probe tip that is formed by an etching process that is not anisotropic. A source gas comprising a bromine-containing gas and an oxygen-containing gas is used to etch the probe tip and flared post of the probe in a batch process. The probe tips may be qualified using any suitable criterion for use by a customer in an atomic force microscope without individual inspection.

Abstract: A characterizer for determining the shape of a probe tip for an atomic force microscope and methods of fabricating and using the characterizer. The characterizer includes a micromachined crystalline structure with opposed edges separated by a width suitable for characterizing a dimension of the probe tip. At least one of the opposed edges overhangs an undercut region of the micromachined crystalline structure by an overhang distance that is greater than one third of the width. The probe tip is scanned across the edges of the characterizer for shape determination. The characterizer is formed by serially deep reactive ion etching and anisotropic etching (100) single crystal silicon. The opposed edges may be oxidation sharpened for use in profiling an end or side of the probe tip.

Abstract: A characterizer for determining the shape of a probe tip for an atomic force microscope and methods of fabricating and using the characterizer. The characterizer includes a micromachined crystalline structure with opposed edges separated by a width suitable for characterizing a dimension of the probe tip. At least one of the opposed edges overhangs an undercut region of the micromachined crystalline structure by an overhang distance that is greater than one third of the width. The probe tip is scanned across the edges of the characterizer for shape determination. The characterizer is formed by serially deep reactive ion etching and anisotropic etching (100) single crystal silicon. The opposed edges may be oxidation sharpened for use in profiling an end or side of the probe tip.

Abstract: A probe assembly for an instrument and a method of manufacture includes a substrate and a cantilever having a length independent of typical alignment error during fabrication. In one embodiment, the probe assembly includes a buffer section interposed between the substrate and the cantilever. The cantilever extends from the buffer section and a portion of the buffer section extends beyond an edge of the substrate. The portion of the buffer section is more stiff than the cantilever. The corresponding method of producing the probe assembly facilitates batch fabrication without compromising probe performance.

Abstract: A characterizer for determining the shape of a probe tip for an atomic force microscope and methods of fabricating and using the characterizer. The characterizer includes a micromachined crystalline structure with opposed edges separated by a width suitable for characterizing a dimension of the probe tip. At least one of the opposed edges overhangs an undercut region of the micromachined crystalline structure by an overhang distance that is greater than one third of the width. The probe tip is scanned across the edges of the characterizer for shape determination. The characterizer is formed by serially deep reactive ion etching and anisotropic etching (100) single crystal silicon. The opposed edges may be oxidation sharpened for use in profiling a bottom surface of the probe tip.

Abstract: Probes for use in a scanning probe microscope and methods of manufacturing such probes. Each probe includes a probe tip having a substantially vertical sidewall formed by an anisotropic etching process and a flared post underlying the probe tip that is formed by an etching process that is not anisotropic. A source gas comprising a bromine-containing gas and an oxygen-containing gas is used to etch the probe tip and flared post of the probe in a batch process. The probe tips may be qualified using any suitable criterion for use by a customer in an atomic force microscope without individual inspection.

Abstract: A characterizer for determining the shape of a probe tip for an atomic force microscope and methods of fabricating and using the characterizer. The characterizer includes a micromachined crystalline structure with opposed edges separated by a width suitable for characterizing a dimension of the probe tip. At least one of the opposed edges overhangs an undercut region of the micromachined crystalline structure by an overhang distance that is greater than one third of the width. The probe tip is scanned across the edges of the characterizer for shape determination. The characterizer is formed by serially deep reactive ion etching and anisotropic etching (100) single crystal silicon. The opposed edges may be oxidation sharpened for use in profiling a bottom surface of the probe tip.