Patent ID: 9086431
Filing Date: 2015-07-21
Classification: B01L,B81B,B81C,G01R,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of manufacturing a probe, said probe comprising a planar substrate, and a cantilever extending from said planar substrate, said cantilever having a base end connected to the planar substrate and a distal end, and a conduit extending from i) a first opening at the planar substrate at a location on the planar substrate away from the cantilever to ii) a second opening in the cantilever away from the base end; the method comprising steps of: providing a first layer of a first material; providing a second layer on the first layer, the second layer being of a second material different from the first material, the second layer comprising a hole within a distal end of a patterned cantilever structure; providing a sacrificial layer of a fourth material on the second layer, the fourth material being different from the second material, the fourth material filling the hole; etching the sacrificial layer to define an elongated sacrificial conduit core of the fourth material; depositing a third layer of a third material on top of i) the second layer and ii) the elongated sacrificial conduit core to define a sandwich, the third material being different from the first and fourth material, the sandwich having a first side at a side of the first layer and a second side at a side of the third material; etching the third layer to define an etching window with an elongated shape exposing a portion of the elongated sacrificial conduit core; covering the second side of the sandwich with a cover having a cover hole, such that the elongated sacrificial conduit core of the fourth material extends from the first layer at the patterned cantilever structure to the second side at the location of the cover hole, and such that the etchant window extends from the cover hole towards the distal end of the patterned cantilever structure over part of the distance from the cover hole to the base end; exposing: thereby defining a planar half-product; and etching the planar half-product to remove all of the elongated sacrificial conduit core by etching through the cover hole and etchant window and to remove a portion of the first layer, ending the step of etching the planar half-product before an etch front of the first layer reaches the location of the first opening on the planar substrate, such that the step of etching the planar half-product forms: