Review of scanning probe micromachining and its applications within nanoscience

摘要

Current progress on micro/nanofabrication of dynamic mode cantilever sensors utilized as scanning probes, and their diverse sensing applications within physics, chemistry, and biology fields have been thoroughly reviewed in this work. The focus of the review is granted to cantilevers' size (micro to nano-scale cantilevers), materials, as well as different technologies used in fabrication processes. The review also addresses techniques investigated for both excitation and sensing of cantilever motion experienced within different operating environments: vacuum, air, and liquid. Furthermore, this study highlights the importance of piezoresistive cantilevers with integrated actuator elements; the manifest merits of utilizing such integrated cantilevers, flourished in this review, in terms of simplicity of microelectronic architecture, enhanced controllability of analytical image processing, ability of full automation, and detection of very minute sample interaction (mechanical, electrical, thermal, and chemical), with significant reduction of setup processes, make this approach more efficient as opposed to optical read-out techniques. Finally, this study review sheds light on challenges and outlook of cantilever micro/ nanofabrication processes, as well as the utilization of organic polymers to produce functionalized cantilever.