Scanning Probe and Electron Microscope Probes and Their Manufacture

Abstract

Methods are described for the economical manufacture of Scanning Probe and Electron Microscope (SPEM) probe tips. In this method, multiple wires are mounted on a stage and ion milled simultaneously while the stage and mounted probes are tilted at a selected angle relative to the ion source and rotated. The resulting probes are also described. The method provides sets of highly uniform probe tips having controllable properties for stable and accurate scanning probe and electron microscope (EM) measurements.

1 . A method of making SPEM probes, comprising:
 mounting a plurality of wire pieces to a rotatable stage;   rotating the stage with mounted wire pieces and simultaneously milling the wires with an ion beam having an ion energy in the range of 1 to 3500 eV to produce the probe tips mounted to the stage;   wherein the rotating stage has an axis of rotation;   wherein the angle between the axis of rotation and the ion beam is from 5° to 70°;   where the angle is defined with respect to the axis of rotation such that 0° is defined to be the angle if the ion beam originates from directly above the stage and is parallel to the axis of rotation.   
     
     
         2 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A batch of SPEM probes made by the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         13 - 20 . (canceled)