Piezoresistive Self-sensing Cantilevers and its MFM Application

Hiroshi Takahashi, Kazunori Ando, and Yoshiharu Shirakawabe

Seiko Instruments Inc. 563 Takatsukashin-den Matsudo-shi, Chiba 270-2222, Japan

We present newly developed self-sensing cantilevers using Si piezoresistor. The sensitivity of the self-sensing cantilevers is comparable to the current laser detecting system. We obtained topography images with the self-sensing cantilever and made some comparison with the laser detecting system.
Furthermore, we coated the magnetic film (Co-Cr) on a tip of the self-sensing cantilever for MFM application. We successfully obtained magnetic image with the self-sensing MFM cantilever. We discussed on the future feasibility of the self-sensing MFM system.