Integration of sharp silicon nitride tips into high-speed SU8 cantilevers in a batch fabrication process

• Nahid Hosseini,
• Matthias Neuenschwander,
• Oliver Peric,
• Santiago H. Andany,
• Jonathan D. Adams and
• Georg E. Fantner

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 2357–2363, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.226

• developed a batch fabrication process to integrate silicon nitride tips with an average tip radius of 9 ± 2 nm into high-speed SU8 cantilevers. Key aspects of the process are the mechanical anchoring of a moulded silicon nitride tip and a two-step release process. The fabrication recipe can be adjusted to

• any photo-processable polymer cantilever. Keywords: Atomic force microscopy (AFM); durability; imaging speed; polymer cantilever; silicon nitride tip; Introduction Atomic force microscopy (AFM) cantilevers have been developed for numerous applications since the invention of scanning probe microscopy

• (f0) and the spring constant (k). (vi) The process is designed for top release, so the wafer is treated with DRIE to create a freestanding SU8 beam with the embedded silicon nitride tip encased in a protective oxide. (vii) The release process is finalized by placing the wafer in KOH (23% at 90 °C) to

In situ characterization of nanoscale contaminations adsorbed in air using atomic force microscopy

• Jesús S. Lacasa,
• Lisa Almonte and
• Jaime Colchero

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 2925–2935, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.271

• description of the methodology for the determination of the Hamaker constant will be presented elsewhere. Sample preparation For the experiments platinum-coated (on tip-side) silicon cantilevers (Olympus OMCL-AC240TM), silicon nitride tip-sharpened (Olympus OMCL-HA100) and all-in-one platinum-coated (on tip

Dynamic nanoindentation by instrumented nanoindentation and force microscopy: a comparative review

• Sidney R. Cohen and
• Estelle Kalfon-Cohen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2013, 4, 815–833, doi:10.3762/bjnano.4.93

Effect of spherical Au nanoparticles on nanofriction and wear reduction in dry and liquid environments

• Dave Maharaj and
• Bharat Bhushan

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2012, 3, 759–772, doi:10.3762/bjnano.3.85

• used for manipulation of a single Au nanoparticle under dry conditions. For submerged-in-water conditions, a silicon nitride tip of lower force constant was used (Orc8 series, Bruker, Camarillo, CA) with k = 0.05 N/m and a nominal radius of 15 nm. For dry conditions, a 10% concentration of Au