Probes
Rev. F
Scanning Probe Microscope Training Notebook
21
10.0 Probes
10.1 Silicon
Nitride
Silicon nitride probes consist of a cantilever integrated with a sharp tip on the end. The properties
and dimensions of the cantilever play an important role in determining the sensitivity and resolution
of the AFM.
For contact mode AFM imaging, it is necessary to have a cantilever which is soft enough to be
deflected by very small forces (i.e. small force constant) and has a high enough resonant frequency
to not be susceptible to vibrational instabilities. This is accomplished by making the cantilever
short, to provide a high resonant frequency, and thin, to provide a small force constant.
For the silicon nitride tips, there are 4 cantilevers with different geometries attached to each
substrate, resulting in 4 different spring constants.
Characteristics of the standard silicon nitride probes (Models NP & DNP) are listed below:
Table 10.1a
Silicon Nitride Probe Characteristics
Spring Constant (k)
0.58, 0.32, 0.12, 0.06 N/m
a
a. Calculated spring constant values are based on the 0.6µm silicon nitride thickness; however, this value
can actually vary from 0.4µm to 0.7µm. Thickness is cubed in the spring constant calculation, thus,
actual values can vary substantially.
Nominal Tip Radius of Curvature
20 - 60nm
Cantilever Lengths
100 & 200µm
Cantilever Configuration
V-shaped
Reflective Coating
Gold
Sidewall angles
35° on all 4 sides
0.12
0.58
0.06
0.32
Four silicon nitride cantilevers show-
ing spring constants (N/m)
a