Scanning probe tips formed by focused ion beams

Abstract
Probe tips for scanning tunneling microscopy have been sharpened using focused ion beam milling. Reproducible tips were formed on polycrystalline W and Pt‐Ir shanks, but this technique is not limited to these materials. The tips were found to have cone angles of 12±3° and radii of curvature as sharp as 4 nm. Focused ion beam machining allows precise control of the final shape of the tips which is important in metrology measurements of various nanostructure devices.