Patent ID: 8474061

Claim:
A method of fabricating a high resolution AFM tip comprising: providing an AFM probe including a semiconductor cantilever having a semiconductor pyramid extending upward from a surface of said semiconductor cantilever, said semiconductor pyramid having an apex; forming a patterned oxide layer on said AFM probe, wherein said patterned oxide layer has an opening that exposes the apex of said semiconductor pyramid; and forming a semiconductor nanowire on said exposed apex of said semiconductor pyramid utilizing a non-oxidized Al seed material as a catalyst for nanowire growth, wherein said semiconductor nanowire includes a p-doped semiconductor nanowire core and an undoped semiconductor shell surrounding said p-doped semiconductor nanowire core; and removing said undoped semiconductor shell and said non-oxidized Al seed layer from said p-doped semiconductor nanowire core forming a single p-doped semiconductor nanowire comprising said p-doped semiconductor nanowire core on said exposed apex.