Scanning probe microscope for cleaning nanostructures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11130159-B2
Application number	US-201916680733-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 12, 2019
Priority date	Sep 13, 2016
Publication date	Sep 28, 2021
Grant date	Sep 28, 2021

Abstract

The present invention relates to a scanning probe microscope. The scanning probe microscope can be configured to remove a polymeric material from a surface of a nanostructure. The scanning probe microscope includes a metal coated probe tip and a voltage source. The voltage source can be configured to apply a bias voltage between the probe tip and a sample. The bias voltage can be between 0.5 V and 2 V. The scanning probe microscope further includes a sample positioner configured to position the sample in relation to the probe tip and a system controller configured to control the scanning probe microscope.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A scanning probe microscope comprising:
a metal coated probe tip;
a voltage source to apply a bias voltage between the probe tip and a sample, the bias voltage being between 0.5 V and 2 V;
a sample positioner configured to position the sample in relation to the probe tip; and
a system controller configured to control the voltage source and the sample positioner, the system controller further configured to apply an electrical field between the probe tip and the sample at a strength operable to break bonds connecting a polymeric material to a surface of the sample.

2. The scanning probe microscope according to claim 1 , wherein the probe tip has an apex tip area of more than 300 nm 2 and less than 10000 nm 2 .

3. The scanning probe microscope according to claim 2 , wherein the probe tip has an apex tip area between 1000 nm 2 and 7500 nm 2 .

4. The scanning probe microscope according to claim 1 , wherein the system controller applies a loading force between the probe tip and the sample between 0.5 nN and 10 nN.

5. The scanning probe microscope according to claim 1 , wherein the system controller controls the strength of the electrical field between the probe tip and the sample between 10 2 V/m and 10 6 V/m.

6. The scanning probe microscope according to claim 1 , further comprising a cantilever, the probe tip being on the cantilever.

7. The scanning probe microscope according to claim 1 , wherein the sample positioner moves in three directions orthogonal to each other.

8. The scanning probe microscope according to claim 1 , wherein the probe tip is coated with gold or platinum.

9. The scanning probe microscope according to claim 1 , wherein a distance between the probe tip and the sample is between 25 nm and 100 nm.

10. A scanning probe microscope comprising:
a probe tip having an apex tip area of more than 300 nm 2 and less than 10000 nm 2 ;
a voltage source to apply a bias voltage between the probe tip and a sample;
a sample positioner configured to position the sample in relation to the probe tip; and
a system controller configured to control the voltage source and the sample positioner, the system controller further configured to control a strength of an electrical field between the probe tip and the sample between 10 2 V/m and 10 6 V/m and to apply a loading force between the probe tip and the sample between 0.5 nN and 10 nN, the controlled electrical field operable to break bonds connecting a polymeric material to a surface of the sample.

11. The scanning probe microscope according to claim 10 , wherein the probe tip is coated with a conductive material.

12. The scanning probe microscope according to claim 10 , wherein a distance between the probe tip and the sample is between 25 nm and 100 nm.

13. The scanning probe microscope according to claim 10 , wherein the probe tip has an apex tip area between 1000 nm 2 and 7500 nm 2 .

14. The scanning probe microscope according to claim 10 , wherein the scanning probe microscope comprises an electrostatic force microscope.

15. The scanning probe microscope according to claim 10 , further comprising a cantilever, the probe tip being on the cantilever.

16. The scanning probe microscope according to claim 10 , wherein the sample positioner moves in three directions orthogonal to each other.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Nirmalraj Pio Peter Niraj

Classifications

• C01B32/196

  Purification · CPC title

• C01B32/17

  Purification · CPC title

• Y10S977/875

  with tip detail · CPC title

• Y10S977/872

  Positioner · CPC title

• C01B21/0648

  After-treatment, e.g. grinding, purification (transformation of hexagonal into cubic or wurtzitic boron nitride C04B35/5831) · CPC title