The possibilities of sub-micron patterning by means of microstencils using pulsed laser deposition were investigated. Stencils with circular and elliptical patterns were used, with pore sizes ranging from 1 µm down to 500 nm. Strontium titanate (SrTiO 3 ), silicon (Si) and self-assembled monolayers on gold were used as substrate materials, whereas nickel (Ni), nickel oxide (NiO) and gold (Au) have been deposited. The results show that the chosen deposition setup makes an easy and fast way for high-quality pattern creation.

An array of exchange biased spin-valve giant-magnetoresistance nanopillars was fabricated and the current I dependence of the resistance R was investigated using an electrically conducting atomic-force microscope (AFM) probe contact at room temperature. We observed current induced switching in a MnIr/ CoFe/ Cu/ CoFe/ NiFe nanopillar using the AFM probe contact. Current-driven switching using nanoprobe contact is a powerful method for developing nonvolatile and rewritable magnetic memory with high density.

We have developed a new hybrid AFM probe combining an SU-8 polymer body with a full tungsten cantilever having a nanometric tip. The fabrication is based on surface micromachining a silicon wafer, where tungsten is sputter deposited in oxidation sharpened moulds to yield sharp tips with radius below 20 nm. The material properties of tungsten were measured, yielding a hardness of 14 GPa, a specific resistivity of 14.8 µ cm and Young's modulus of 380 GPa. Analyses of the probes show a mechanical quality factor of 90 in air, and a low contact resistance of 25 on a gold sample is measured. AFM imaging is demonstrated. As a step in the development of a robust electrically conducting AFM probe, the results are very promising.

We have developed a hybrid scanning probe microscopy sensor consisting of a SU-8 body and fill platinum cantilever and tip. The fabrication process is based on surfice-micromachining of a silicon wafer, where oxidation sharpened moulds deifne the tip shape, givig tips with a radiuis sharper than 20 nm. With optimized sptter deposition parameters we obtained filly straigbh platinum cantilevers after release. The release is based on a dry isotropic silicon under-etching. Platinum shows biocompatibility, maki the sensors suitable for imaging and force spectroscopy of living cells. A resonance frequency of 252 KHz and a mechanical qality factor of 56 are measured im air for a cantilever of 35 pm x 20 pm x 0.5 pm. A method fbr the immobilization of cells in cell-containers is dveloped to simplify their localization and Imaging.