Probe tips and method of making same
A probe includes a substrate and a tetragonal structure disposed on the substrate that has four end points. Three of the end points are disposed adjacent to the substrate. A fourth of the end points extends outwardly and substantially normal to the substrate. In a method of making a probe tip, a plurality of tetrapods are grown and at least one of the tetrapods is placed on a substrate at a selected location. The tetrapod is affixed to the substrate at the selected location.
1. A probe, comprising:
a. a substrate;
b. a tetragonal structure disposed on the substrate, the tetragonal structure having four end points, three of the end points being disposed adjacent to the substrate, a fourth of the end points extending outwardly and substantially normal to the substrate; and
c. a ring-shaped ion beam-generated bond that bonds the three end points to the substrate wherein the bond comprises a material selected from a group consisting of: platinum, tungsten, quartz, and carbon.
2. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the tetragonal structure comprises a tetrapod.
3. The probe of claim 2 , wherein the tetrapod comprises a metal oxide.
4. The probe of claim 3 , wherein the metal oxide comprises zinc oxide.
5. The probe of claim 2 , wherein the tetrapod comprises cadmium telluride.
6. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the tetragonal structure comprises a tetrahedron.
7. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a material selected from a group consisting of: a metal; a semiconductor, oxide, and a polymer.
8. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a portion of a cantilever.
9. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a portion of a membrane.
10. A probe sensor, comprising:
a. a disk-shaped membrane supported by a housing that defines a cavity that is covered by the membrane, the membrane having a center; and
b. a tetragonal structure disposed on the membrane adjacent to the center, the tetragonal structure having four end points, three of the end points being disposed adjacent to the membrane, a fourth of the end points extending outwardly and substantially normal to the membrane; and
c. a ring-shaped bond, disposed around the center of the membrane, that affixes the three end points to the membrane, wherein the ring-shaped bond comprises an ion beam-generated bond and wherein the bond comprises a material selected from a group consisting of: platinum, tungsten, quartz, and carbon.
11. The probe of claim 10 , wherein the substrate comprises a material selected from a group consisting of: a metal, a semiconductor, an oxide, and a polymer.
12. The probe of claim 10 , wherein the tetragonal structure comprises a tetrapod.
13. The probe of claim 12 , wherein the tetrapod comprises selected from a group consisting of: zinc oxide and cadmium telluride.
14. The probe of claim 10 , wherein the membrane comprises a material selected from a group consisting of: a metal; a semiconductor, oxide, and a polymer.