Probe and cantilever

Abstract

[Object of the Invention] To provide a probe 1 for use in a cantilever 2 of an scanning probe microscope (SPM) manufacturable in a simple manufacturing process and usable while allowing full use of the properties of single-crystalline material and a cantilever 2 using that probe. [Solution] A probe 1 disposed at the tip of beam part 2 a of a cantilever 2 used for an SPM, wherein the probe 1 comprises a needle-like part 1 a having a length of not less than 10 μm or and a flat plate part 1 b having a face contacting a beam part of the cantilever, the needle-like part 1 a and the flat plate part 1 b are integrally formed with a single-crystalline material, and at least one side face of the flat plate part 1 b contains a flat surface 1 c in order to indicate the crystal orientation of the single-crystalline material.

1 . A probe disposed at a tip of a cantilever for use in a scanning probe microscope, the probe comprising:
 a needle-like part having a length of not less than 10 μm, and   a flat plate part having a face contacting a beam part of the cantilever,   wherein the needle-like part and the flat plate part are integrally formed with a single crystalline material, and a flat surface in order to indicate a crystal orientation of the single-crystalline material is provided on at least one side face of the flat plate part.   
     
     
         2 . A probe according to  claim 1 , wherein the flat surface comprising both side faces of the flat plate part are parallel to each other. 
     
     
         3 . A probe according to  claim 1 , wherein the single-crystalline material is made of a single crystal diamond. 
     
     
         4 . A cantilever having a probe according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein both side faces of the beam part in the cantilever are parallel to each other,   wherein the probe is disposed on a main surface of the beam part so that both side faces of the flat plate part and those of the beam part are parallel to each other,   a distance between both side faces of the flat plate part has a length 0.9 to 1.1 times that of both side faces of the beam part, and   the probe is bonded using a liquid adhesive onto a main surface of the beam part.   
     
     
         5 . A probe according to  claim 2 , wherein the single-crystalline material is made of a single crystal diamond. 
     
     
         6 . A cantilever having a probe according to  claim 2 , wherein both side faces of the beam part in the cantilever are parallel to each other,
 wherein the probe is disposed on a main surface of the beam part so that both side faces of the flat plate part and those of the beam part are parallel to each other,   a distance between both side faces of the flat plate part has a length 0.9 to 1.1 times of that of both side faces of the beam part, and   the probe is bonded using a liquid adhesive onto a main surface of the beam part.   
     
     
         7 . A cantilever comprising:
 a beam part having a main surface for supporting a probe, said probe comprising:   a needle-like part having a length of not less than 10 μm, and   a flat plate part having a face contacting a beam part of the cantilever,   wherein the needle-like part and the flat plate part of the probe are integrally formed with a single crystalline material with at least one side face of the flat plate part having a flat surface in order to indicate a crystal orientation of the single-crystalline material;   wherein the probe is disposed on the main surface of the beam part so that both side faces of the flat plate part and those of the beam part are parallel to each other, a distance between both side faces of the flat plate part has a length 0.9 to 1.1 times of that of both side faces of the beam part, and the probe is bonded using a liquid adhesive onto a main surface of the beam part.   
     
     
         8 . The cantilever according to  claim 7 , wherein the flat surface comprising both side faces of the flat plate part are parallel to each other. 
     
     
         9 . The cantilever according to  claim 8 , wherein the single-crystalline material is made of a single crystal diamond.