Fabrication of various types of nanocantilevers and parallel leaf springs

Daisuke Saya, Kimitake Fukushima, Hiroshi Toshiyoshi, Gen Hashiguchi, Hiroyuki Fujita and Hideki Kawakatsu

Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo

In non-contact mode AFM, a cantilever with higher resonance frequency is desirable in order to improve resolution in force and mass detection. Smaller cantilevers can fulfill these requirements. We are developing cantilevers measuring from 100nm to a few microns for use as force detector in AFM. We succeeded in fabrication of several types of nanocantilevers such as nanometric oscillator with filiform SiO2 neck, obliquely deposited leaf spring, single-crystal Si nanocantilever and parallel leaf springs. In fabrication, SOI (silicon-on-insulator) wafer is used. The fabrication process is based on anisotropic etching and local oxidation of Si. This method does not require precise lithography technique for obtaining nanocantilevers. High reproducibility and high uniformity were achieved. According to calculation, spring constants and resonance frequencies range from 0.1N/m to 10N/m and from 1MHz to 1GHz, respectively. Feasible strength of the structures was confirmed. The poster will focus on details of the fabrication processes.