Piezoresistive pens for dip-pen nanolithography

The conventional approach to measurement of the deflection of microfabricated cantilevers centers on the use of an optical lever. The use of optical lever technology increases the size, complexity, and cost of systems using microfabricated cantilevers. Occasionally, piezoresistors have been used to sense deflection. But, for atomic force microscope applications in particular, topographical sensitivity has demanded the higher sensitivity of the optical lever. For dip-pen nanolithography (DPN) microfabricated cantilevers do not require the same degree of deflection sensitivity. So, for these applications, piezoresistors can be used to sense deflection. In this work, we present a novel approach to an integrated DPN pen. Piezoresistive silicon stress sensors are integrated into a silicon nitride cantilever. The device design, process design, and fabrication methods for building these sensors, and sensor-actuators, are demonstrated. Integration of heaters, along with the piezoresistors, is also demonstrated.