Patent ID: 6056887
Filing Date: 2000-05-02
Classification: B82Y,G01Q

Abstract:
A process for fabricating a feeler member used in a micromechanical probe, in particular for an atomic force microscope or the like, said member having one or more feeler tips, said process including:creating by selective photolithographic operations on a silicon substrate coated with at least one barrier layer a negative mold the wall of which has at least one imprint of the feeler tip to be obtained,coating at least a part of said wall of said negative mold, including said imprint, with a layer of hard material,removing said barrier layer, andforming a tip precursor on a first face of said substrate by undercutting the silicon of said substrate to form a positive mold, wherein said photolithographic operations consist in selectively etching a second face of said substrate opposite said first face so as to eliminate said silicon of said substrate as far as said barrier layer in the region containing said tip precursor, including said silicon constituting said tip precursor, to form said negative mold.