METHOD OF MANUFACTURING PROBE HAVING MINUTE OPENING, COMPOSITE DEVICE OF SCANNING PROXIMITY FIELD OPTICAL MICROSCOPE AND SCANNING TUNNEL MICROSCOPE USING THE PROBE AND RECORDER/REPRODUCER USING THE PROBE

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To contrive improvement of yield by bringing a metal coated probe into contact with metal material, and removing the coated metal of the edge of the probe by voltage application. ;SOLUTION: An elastic cantilever 102 which is metal-coated and whose edge has a sharp probe part 101 is made, a probe part 108 covered with metal is brought into contact with a metal substrate 105, electrode wiring 104 is conducted with a voltage application means 106, and voltage is impressed between the probe part 108 and the metal substrate 105. Thereby the coated metal film of the edge part of the probe is removed by electric field evaporation or heat fusion, and a minute opening 107 is formed. The diameter of the minute opening 107 can be controlled by controlling the diameter of the edge of the probe, film thickness of coating metal 103, contact force of the edge of the probe for the metal substrate 105 and a voltage application condition. It is in the range of about 10-100nm that the opening 107 can be stably formed.;COPYRIGHT: (C)1997,JPO