Patent ID: 8220317

Claim:
An article comprising: a support; a plurality of base rows disposed on the support; and a plurality of cantilevers extending from each of the base rows and forming a two-dimensional array of cantilevers, each of the cantilevers comprising a tip at an end of the cantilever away from a corresponding base row, wherein each of the cantilevers is attached to the support at a first surface of the cantilevers, and each of the tips is disposed on a second, opposing surface of the cantilevers, wherein each of the cantilevers comprises a bent portion such that the cantilevers are bent at an angle away from the support, wherein each of the cantilevers comprises a first layer and a second layer, the first layer having a different thermal expansion coefficient than the second layer so as to cause the bent portion in the cantilevers, wherein the tips have an apex height relative to the cantilever of at least seven microns, and wherein the cantilevers and tips are configured for use in direct-write nanolithography.