Thermal Manipulation Utilizing Micro-cantilever Probe in Scanning Electron Microscopy

We present a novel design for a sensitive temperature micro-probe, situated at the tip of an atomic force microscopy cantilever. The temperature-sensing element utilizes a platinum resistance thermometer, which is well-known for its measurement reproducibility and chemical inertness. The probe is fabricated using conventional clean room techniques and then processed by focused ion beam milling and material deposition. The probe is able to be mounted to a movable platform inside a scanning electron microscope, enabling simultaneous characterization of a sample’s surface temperature and material topology. Furthermore, by reversing the detection mechanism of the platinum resistance thermometer, localized sample surface heating can be achieved, allowing small-scale sample manipulation and characterization. Such an ability to simultaneously characterize a material’s surface topology and temperature has not been previously reported in literature, and lends great practicality in the fields of materials research and integrated circuits diagnostics.