Patent ID: 7288425

Claim:
A system for forming a hybrid cantilever with a silicon wafer having a field oxide layer, the system comprising: means for etching the silicon wafer on a top portion to leave a substantially horizontal silicon section and a silicon post with a remaining portion of the field oxide layer on top of the post; means for section depositing a first thin oxide layer to cover the substantially horizontal section; means for depositing a non-single crystal silicon layer to cover the thin oxide layer on the substantially horizontal section and the silicon post; means for patterning the non-single crystal silicon layer to define a cantilever shape; means for etching the non-single silicon layer to define the cantilever shape; means for depositing a nitride film on the cantilever shape; means for etching away to the nitride film along the top and sidewall of the silicon post to leave a remaining portion of the nitride film along a horizontal portion of the cantilever shape; means for oxidizing the silicon post to form a silicon post oxidation layer; means for stripping the remaining portion of the nitride film; means for depositing a second thin oxide layer on the horizontal portion of the cantilever shape; means for etching the first thin oxide layer to expose a portion of the silicon wafer leaving an edge section of the first thin oxide layer and a portion of the first thin oxide layer in the cantilever shape; means for etching the exposed portion of the silicon wafer to form the cantilever; and means for stripping the first thin oxide layer and the second thin oxide layer, to produce a non-single crystal silicon cantilever, and the silicon cost oxidation layer, to produce a single silicon tip.