Toshiki Hirano
Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, Part 1: Regular Papers and Short Notes and Review Papers
This paper presents a new method of fabricating a lateral tunneling unit (LTU), by dry releasing of electroplated structures. An LTU is an integrated tunneling current sensing unit that has a tunneling tip and a linear actuator for moving the tip. The new fabrication method has many advantages over the existing poly crystalline silicon structure and hydrofluoric acid (HF) wet release method, namely, use of a metallic material, thicker structure, higher yield, and a safer, easier, and faster process. New LTUs and LTU-AFM probes were successfully fabricated by this method. Gold and nickel were used as alternative structural materials. The electrolytic polishing method was proposed as a new post-release processing and was used to fabricate sharp needles. The comb-drive actuator of an LTU was operated and the characteristics were measured; the results showed that this actuator has good linearity. © 1994 The Japanese Journal of Applied Physics.
Toshiki Hirano
Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, Part 1: Regular Papers and Short Notes and Review Papers
Toshiki Hirano, Matthew White, et al.
IMECE 2001
Toshiki Hirano, Tomotake Furuhata, et al.
JMEMS
Firas Sammoura, Ying Cai, et al.
TRANSDUCERS 2005