| abstract |
A microfabricated microscope assembly (100) including a piezoelectric bimorph cantilever arm (102) mounted at one end to a first substrate (106). The free end of the cantilever arm has a tip (104) mounted thereto for scanning a scanned surface (110) mounted on a second substrate (114). The cantilever arm (102) and the substrate (112) are configured to carry out a predetermined write or read mode of operation, such as scanning tunneling microscopy or atomic force microscopy. The two substrates (106, 114) are spaced apart a fixed distance by spacer feet (120) which project from one of the substrates (106, 114) and which have their ends fixed to the surface of the other substrate by eutectic, anodic, or adhesive bonding. An array (100) of microfabricated microscope assemblies is formed using a plurality of individual assemblies (101). A number of different write/read modes of operation are accommodated, such as charge storage, molecular attachment, or magnetic domains. |