Study of Magnetic Micro-Ellipses by Cantilever Sensor

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a method for prototyping cantilever sensors by means of a modification of commercial atomic force microscopy cantilevers, using electron beam lithography and focused ion beam milling. To overcome obstacles with resist coating related to spin-coating of nonplanar 3D substrates, in this case of free-standing cantilevers, we propose a modified method based on spin-coating technique. An auxiliary atomic force microscopy chip was inserted below the cantilever to quasi-planarize the surface during spin-coating of electron beam resist. Magnetic micro-ellipses were prepared at the free-end of the cantilever by electron beam lithography. We propose a design of a cantilever sensor for the study of magnetic coupling between two cantilevers, prepared by focused ion beam milling. In ideal case, the coupling could be detected by a shift in resonance peaks. Attractive and repulsive forces between magnetic structures were shown by magnetic force microscopy.

Facile modification of freestanding silicon nitride microcantilever beams by dry film photoresist lithography

“…In principle, well-established photolithography is a relatively efficient method to realize material micropatterning. Nevertheless, conventional direct spin-coating of liquid photoresists onto freestanding, flexible, and 3D-structured cantilevers is rather challenging mainly due to so-called edgebead effects [10,11]. These edge-bead effects result in an inhomogeneous resist layer thickness, which typically yields dissatisfying results for resist exposure and development.…”