Efficient electrochemical etching method to fabricate sharp metallic tips for scanning probe microscopes

A new technique based on electrochemical etching for the fabrication of sharp metallic tips for scanning probe microscopes is introduced. In the proposed method, a small Teflon mass is attached to the end of an immersed tungsten wire using an aluminum tape, which leads to a significant enhancement of yield rate of sharp tungsten tips with an apex size below 100 nm to over 60%. The functionality of the tungsten tips fabricated by the proposed method is verified by measuring the topography of a standard sample using a shear-force scanning probe microscope. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.