Cantilever Based Connector Platform for Exchangeable and Customizable Scanning Probe Tips

The atomic force microscope (AFM) has become a standard and wide spread instrument for characterizing nanoscale devices and can be found in most of today‘s research and development areas. Within the EU-project “NanoBits”, exchangeable and customizable scanning probe tips are developed. These NanoBits offer a high level of freedom in adapting the shape and size of the tips to the surface topology of the specific application. In order to exchange the NanoBits without changing the cantilever, a special type of cantilever is developed. This cantilever combines the geometric flexibility of a silicon nitride cantilever with the advantages of a silicon connector platform. Besides the cantilever based connector platform, first results of mounting a NanoBit onto the connector platform are also presented. This mounting results in a fixed connection between NanoBit and connector platform but also allows an exchange of the NanoBit when needed.