Conductive Probes (epo) Patents (Class 850/41)
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Patent number: 8719960Abstract: The present invention provides a microcantilever capable of independently measuring and/or controlling the electrical potential and/or temperature of a surface with nanometer scale position resolution. The present invention also provides methods of manipulating, imaging, and/or mapping a surface or the properties of a surface with a microcantilever. The microcantilevers of the present invention are also capable of independently measuring and/or controlling the electrical potential and/or temperature of a gas or liquid. The devices and methods of the present invention are useful for applications including gas, liquid, and surface sensing, micro- and nano-fabrication, imaging and mapping of surface contours or surface properties.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2009Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of IllinoisInventor: William P. King
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Patent number: 8716938Abstract: A thermionic emission device includes an insulating substrate, a patterned carbon nanotube film structure, a positive electrode and a negative electrode. The insulating substrate includes a surface. The surface includes an edge. The patterned carbon nanotube film structure is partially arranged on the surface of the insulating substrate. The patterned carbon nanotube film structure includes two strip-shaped arms joined at one end to form a tip portion protruded from the edge of the surface of the insulating substrate and suspended. The patterned carbon nanotube film structure includes a number of carbon nanotubes parallel to the surface of the insulating substrate. The patterned carbon nanotube film structure is connected between the positive electrode and the negative electrode in series.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2012Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignees: Tsinghua University, Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yang Wei, Shou-Shan Fan
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Patent number: 8656511Abstract: A method for attaching a conductive particle to the apex of a probe tip comprises the steps of: moving the apex of a probe tip close to a conductive particle and applying a bias voltage between the probe tip and the conductive particle so that the conductive particle can permanently attach to the apex. The method uses only a bias voltage to transfer and attach conductive particles to the apex of a probe tip, and no surface treatment of the probe tip is required.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2010Date of Patent: February 18, 2014Assignee: National Tsing Hua UniversityInventors: Fan Gang Tseng, Hui Wen Cheng, Wun Yuan Jheng
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Patent number: 8516611Abstract: An atomic force microscope probe includes a carbon nanotube micro-tip structure. The carbon nanotube micro-tip structure includes an insulating substrate and a patterned carbon nanotube film structure. The insulating substrate includes a surface. The surface includes an edge. The patterned carbon nanotube film structure is partially arranged on the surface of the insulating substrate. The patterned carbon nanotube film structure includes two strip-shaped arms joined together to form a tip portion protruding and suspending from the edge of the surface of the insulating substrate. The two strip-shaped arms include a number of carbon nanotubes parallel to the surface of the insulating substrate.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2012Date of Patent: August 20, 2013Assignees: Tsinghua University, Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yang Wei, Shou-Shan Fan
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Patent number: 8468611Abstract: Improved nanolithography components, systems, and methods are described herein. The systems and methods generally employ a resistively heated atomic force microscope tip to thermally induce a chemical change in a surface. In addition, certain polymeric compositions are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2010Date of Patent: June 18, 2013Assignee: Georgia Tech Research CorporationInventors: Elisa Riedo, Seth R. Marder, Walt A. de Heer, Robert J. Szoskiewicz, Vamsi K. Kodali, Simon C. Jones, Takashi Okada, Debin Wang, Jennifer E. Curtis, Clifford L. Henderson, Yueming Hua
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Publication number: 20130019351Abstract: A high resolution AFM tip is provided which includes an AFM probe including a semiconductor cantilever having a semiconductor pyramid extending upward from a surface of the semiconductor cantilever, the semiconductor pyramid having an apex. The AFM tip also includes a single Al-doped semiconductor nanowire on the exposed apex of the semiconductor pyramid, wherein the single Al-doped semiconductor nanowire is epitaxial with respect to the apex of the semiconductor pyramid.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2012Publication date: January 17, 2013Applicants: King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Guy M. Cohen, Mark C. Reuter, Brent A. Wacaser, Maha M. Khayyat
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Patent number: 8332961Abstract: Tips including a platinum silicide at an apex of a single crystal silicon tip are provided herein. Also, techniques for creating a tip are provided. The techniques include depositing an amount of platinum (Pt) on a single crystal silicon tip, annealing the platinum and single crystal silicon tip to form a platinum silicide, and selectively etching the platinum with respect to the formed platinum silicide.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2008Date of Patent: December 11, 2012Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Harish Bhaskaran, Michel Despont, Ute Drechsler, Abu Sebastian
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Patent number: 8327460Abstract: The present invention allows simple and sensitive detection of microimpurities, microdefects, and corrosion starting points which may be present in a material. A probe microscope has a function to sense ions diffused from a specimen in a liquid. A probe is caused to scan over a predetermined range on a specimen. Then, the probe is fixed to a particular position in a liquid so as to set the distance between the specimen and the probe to a given value at which the microstructure of the specimen surface cannot be observed. Thereafter, one of the current between the probe and a counter electrode and the potential between the probe and a reference electrode is controlled, and the other of the current and potential which varies in accordance with the control is measured. Thus, ions diffused from the specimen are sensed.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2010Date of Patent: December 4, 2012Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Kyoko Honbo, Katsumi Mabuchi, Motoko Harada
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Publication number: 20120192319Abstract: A microwave probe having a metal tip on the free end of a microcantilever. In one embodiment, a pyramidal pit is isotropically etched in a device wafer of monocrystalline silicon. Oxidation may sharpen the pit. Deposited metal forms the metal tip in the pit and a bottom shield. Other metal sandwiched between equally thick dielectric layers contact the tip and form a conduction path along the cantilever for the probe and detected signals. Further metal forms a top shield overlying the conduction path and the dielectrically isolated tip and having equal thickness to the bottom shield, thus producing together with the symmetric dielectric layers a balanced structure with reduced thermal bending. The device wafer is bonded to a handle wafer. The handle is formed and remaining silicon of the device wafer is removed to release the cantilever.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 20, 2011Publication date: July 26, 2012Applicant: PRIMENANO, INC.Inventors: Xinxin Li, Yongliang Yang
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Patent number: 8196218Abstract: An exemplary, highly integrated, SPM-based system for measuring the conductivity and/or force of substance under programmable engaging/stretching processes is described. A sample bias is applied across two electrodes. A substance to be measured is sandwiched between them. A first electrode is first brought relative to a second electrode (engaging) in programmable pathways that can be described as stretching distance versus time curves. The process of engaging the electrodes continues until a certain current reached, a certain force reached and whichever case happens first. The electrodes are then separated (stretching) in programmable pathways that can be described as stretching distance versus time curves. A periodic modulation can be applied to the engaging/stretching process to realize different stretch pathways. The sample bias across the electrodes is kept constant or swept in a programmable shape over time, described as a voltage-versus time curve.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2009Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc.Inventors: Bingqian Xu, Fan Chen
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Patent number: 8122761Abstract: A microcantilever sensor includes a supporting substrate, a cantilever spring element at least partially disposed over the support substrate, a probe layer disposed over the first side of the cantilever spring element, and a piezoresistive transducer attached to the second side of the cantilever spring element. The cantilever spring element is characterized by having a first side and a second side and comprising a polymer having a Young's modulus less than about 100 Gpa. Sensing systems that incorporate the cantilever sensor of the invention include a detector in communication with the piezoresistive transducer to provide measurements of surface strain changes in the piezoresistive transducer.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2006Date of Patent: February 28, 2012Assignee: Wayne State UniversityInventor: Yong Xu
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Patent number: 7997125Abstract: A miniaturized spring element is intended to be particularly suitable for use as a beam probe or cantilever for detecting atomic or molecular forces, in particular in an atomic force microscope, and, to this end, is intended to make it possible to detect its deflection in a particularly reliable manner and with high resolution. For this purpose, the spring element contains a basic body which is formed from a matrix containing embedded nanoparticles or defects. The spring element is produced using the principle of local deposition with focused energetic particles or electromagnetic waves or by pyrolytically induced deposition.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2008Date of Patent: August 16, 2011Assignees: Nanoscale Systems, Nanoss GmbH, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-UniversitaetInventors: Alexander Kaya, Michael Huth
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Patent number: 7966867Abstract: The invention provides a scanning probe microscope capable of performing highly accurate three-dimensional profile measurement in a state in which no sliding of the probe or deformation of the sample substantially occurs.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2008Date of Patent: June 28, 2011Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Masahiro Watanabe, Shuichi Baba, Toshihiko Nakata
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Patent number: 7958566Abstract: Disclosed is an atomic force microscope (AFM) probe for use in an AFM, and more particularly, an AFM probe suitable for testing the topography and mechanical properties of a microstructure having a size on the order of micrometers or nanometers. To this end, an AFM probe according to the present invention comprises an elastically deformable frame having a fixed end and a movable end on one axis; an AFM tip supported by the movable end to be movable against a test sample in a direction of the axis; and a stopper provided on an inner surface of the frame to control a movement of the AFM tip within a predetermined range.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2007Date of Patent: June 7, 2011Assignee: Korea Institute of Machinery & MaterialsInventors: Hak-Joo Lee, Seung Min Hyun, Jae Hyun Kim, Jung Yup Kim, Seung Woo Han, Jung Min Park, Byung Ik Choi
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Patent number: 7861315Abstract: A simple method for integrating a circuit onto a probe with a handle, a cantilever and a tip is provided. By fabricating a probe whose surface has recessed patterns of the desirable profile, a circuit can be formed on one part of the handle out over the cantilever and back onto a different part of the handle without employing a circuit lithography step. The circuit material constituting the circuit is deposited orthogonally to the probe surface with a line-of-sight technique.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2008Date of Patent: December 28, 2010Assignee: Asylum Research CorporationInventors: Roger Proksch, Hector Cavazos
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Publication number: 20100077516Abstract: Tips including a platinum silicide at an apex of a single crystal silicon tip are provided herein. Also, techniques for creating a tip are provided. The techniques include depositing an amount of platinum (Pt) on a single crystal silicon tip, annealing the platinum and single crystal silicon tip to form a platinum silicide, and selectively etching the platinum with respect to the formed platinum silicide.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2008Publication date: March 25, 2010Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Harish Bhaskaran, Michel Despont, Ute Drechsler, Abu Sebastian
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Publication number: 20090249522Abstract: An exemplary, highly integrated, SPM-based system for measuring the conductivity and/or force of substance under programmable engaging/stretching processes is described. A sample bias is applied across two electrodes. A substance to be measured is sandwiched between them. A first electrode is first brought relative to a second electrode (engaging) in programmable pathways that can be described as stretching distance versus time curves. The process of engaging the electrodes continues until a certain current reached, a certain force reached and whichever case happens first. The electrodes are then separated (stretching) in programmable pathways that can be described as stretching distance versus time curves. A periodic modulation can be applied to the engaging/stretching process to realize different stretch pathways. The sample bias across the electrodes is kept constant or swept in a programmable shape over time, described as a voltage-versus time curve.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2009Publication date: October 1, 2009Inventors: Bingqian Xu, Fan Chen