Micro/nano devices fabricated from Cu-Hf thin films
An all-metal microdevice or nanodevice such as an atomic force microscope probe is manufactured from a copper-hafnium alloy thin film having an x-ray amorphous microstructure.
1. An all-metal microdevice or nanodevice comprising a copper-hafnium alloy thin film having an x-ray amorphous microstructure.
2. The micro/nanodevice of claim 1 wherein the copper-hafnium alloy comprises 30% copper to 95% copper and 5% hafnium to 70% hafnium.
3. The micro/nanodevice of claim 1 which is an atomic force microscope (AFM) cantilever probe.
4. The micro/nanodevice of claim 1 wherein the Cu—Hf alloy comprises an amorphous matrix with interspersed crystalline nanoparticles.
5. The micro/nanodevice of claim 3 which comprises Cu 90 Hf 10 .
6. The micro/nanodevice of claim 4 which comprises Cu 90 Hf 10 .
7. The AFM cantilever probe of claim 3 wherein the cantilever is about 1 μm thick.
8. The AFM cantilever probe of claim 7 wherein the cantilever has a length of between about 100 to 400 μm.
9. The AFM cantilever probe of claim 7 which has a tip radius of between 10 to 40 nm.