Proposal of new type of micro-machined quartz tuning fork AFM probe

A quartz probe structure with a monolithically integrated tuning fork with a sharp tip at the end has been developed for application to noncontact atomic force microscopy (AFM) systems. The structure is fabricated using quartz micromachining technologies. Evaluation of the properties of a fabricated quartz tuning fork showed that it had a Q-factor of 2348, a resonant frequency of 39.92 kHz, and amplitude of 2.69 /spl mu/m. It would thus have atomic-level resolution in an AFM system.