Patent EP0516418A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0516418A1
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EP
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Probe-driving mechanism, production thereof, and apparatus and piezoelectric actuator employing the same
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1992-05-28
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-05-28
Abstract
Abstract A probe-driving mechanism is shown with a bimorph cantilever having a thin piezoelectric substance film (5, 7) and electrodes (4, 6, 8) holding the film therebetween. The cantilever is supported by a support (1) at one end and has a probe for information input and output at the other. The probe-driving mechanism has a first insulating layer (2) between the support and the cantilever and a second insulating layer (2) at the other side of the support. The first insulating layer has sufficient thickness to reduce parasitic capacitance induced between the electrode of the cantilever and the support. A tunnel current-detecting apparatus and an information-processing apparatus comprise the probe-driving mechanism, respectively.
Inventors
- 👤 Masaru C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Nakayama
- 👤 Yutaka c/o Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Hira
- 👤 Takayuki C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Yagi
- 👤 Yuji C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Kasanuki
- 👤 Keisuke C/O Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Yamamoto
- 👤 Yasuhiro c/o Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Shimada
- 👤 Yoshio c/o Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Suzuki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 18:34
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01Q; G01Q60/00; G01Q60/10; G01Q60/16; B; B82; B82Y; B82Y35/00; G01Q10/00; G01Q10/04; G01Q10/045; G01Q70/00; G01Q70/06; G11; G11B; G11B9/00; G11B9/12; G11B9/14; G11B9/1418; G11B9/1427; G11B9/1436; H; H10; H10N; H10N30/00; H10N30/20; H10N30/204; H10N30/2041; H10N30/2042; B82Y10/00; G01Q80/00; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/42
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
89 words
A probe-driving mechanism comprising a bimorph cantilever having a thin piezoelectric substance film and electrodes holding the film therebetween and being supported by a support at one end, and having a probe for information input and output at the other end: the probe-driving mechanism having-a first insulating layer between the support and the cantilever, and a second insulating layer at the other side of the support, and the first insulating layer having a sufficient thickness to reduce parasitic capacitance induced between the electrode of the cantilever and the support.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
81 words
A probe-driving mechanism comprising a bimorph cantilever having a thin piezoelectric substance film and electrodes holding the film therebetween and being supported by a support at one end, and having a probe for information input and output at the other end: the probe-driving mechanism having a first insulating layer between the support and the cantilever, and a second insulating layer at the other side of the support, and the first insulating layer having a thickness of not less than 5000 Å.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
The probe-driving mechanism of Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein two insulating layers are provided between the support and the cantilever, and one of the insulating layers in contact with the support has a thickness of not less than 5000 Å.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The probe-driving mechanism of Claim 3, wherein the insulating layer in contact with the support is composed of a material resistant to anisotropic etching.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The probe-driving mechanism of Claim 3, wherein the insulating layer in contact with the support comprises silicon oxide layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The probe-driving mechanism of Claim 3, wherein the insulating layer in contact with the support comprises silicon nitride layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The probe-driving mechanism of Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the second insulating layer comprises a silicon oxide film.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The probe-driving mechanism of Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the support is composed of silicon.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
A process for producing a probe-driving mechanism, comprising steps of providing a first insulating layer on a support, providing a second insulating layer further thereon, laminating an electrode layer and a thin piezoelectric substance layer successively on the first insulating layer, forming a probe, and removing the support to form a cantilever.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process for producing a probe-driving mechanism of Claim 9, wherein the first insulating layer has a thickness of not less than 5000 Å.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process for producing a probe-driving mechanism of Claim 9, wherein the support contains silicon.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process for producing a probe-driving mechanism of Claim 9, wherein the first insulating layer comprises a silicon oxide film.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process for producing a probe-driving mechanism of Claim 9, wherein the second insulating layer comprises a silicon nitride film.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process for producing a probe-driving mechanism of Claim 9, wherein the support is removed off by anisotropic etching.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
A multi-probe-driving mechanism having two or more of the probe-driving mechanisms of Claim 1 or Claim 2 arranged two-dimensionally
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
82 words
A tunnel current-detecting apparatus, comprising the prove-driving mechanism of Claim 1 or Claim 2 counterposed to an electric conductor, a driving means for driving the probe-driving mechanism, a control means for controlling the driving means, a voltage-applying means for applying voltage between the electric conductor and the probe, a detecting means for detecting a tunnel current between the electric conductor and the probe, and an outputting means for outputting information on the surface of the electric conductor according to detected tunnel current.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The tunnel current-detecting apparatus of Claim 16, wherein the tunnel current-detecting apparatus is a scanning tunnel microscope.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
53 words
An information-processing apparatus, comprising the prove-driving mechanism of Claim 1 or Claim 2 counterposed to a recording medium, a driving means for driving the probe-driving mechanism, a control means for controlling the driving means, and a voltage applying means for applying pulse voltage between the recording medium and the probe for information recording.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
53 words
An information-processing apparatus, comprising the prove-driving mechanism of Claim 1 or Claim 2 counterposed to a recording medium, a driving means for driving the probe-driving mechanism, a control means for controlling the driving means, and a voltage applying means for applying bias voltage between the recording medium and the probe for information reproduction.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
58 words
An information-processing apparatus, comprising the prove-driving mechanism of Claim 1 or Claim 2 counterposed to a recording medium, a driving means for driving the probe-driving mechanism, a control means for controlling the driving means, and voltage-applying means for applying pulse voltage for information recording and applying bias voltage between the recording medium and the probe for information reproduction.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
The information processing apparatus of Claim 18, wherein the recording medium exhibits electric memory effect.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
The information processing apparatus of Claim 19, wherein the recording medium exhibits electric memory effect.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
15 words
The information processing apparatus of Claim 20, wherein the recording medium exhibits electric memory effect.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
16 words
The information processing apparatus of Claim 18, wherein the surface of the recording medium is non-electroconductive.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
16 words
The information processing apparatus of Claim 19, wherein the surface of the recording medium is non-electroconductive.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
16 words
The information processing apparatus of Claim 20, wherein the surface of the recording medium is non-electroconductive.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
73 words
A piezoelectric actuator, comprising a bimorph cantilever having a thin piezoelectric substance film and electrodes holding the film therebetween and being supported at an end by a support; a first insulating layer between the cantilever and the support; and a second insulating film on the other side of the support, and the first insulating layer having a sufficient thickness to reduce parasitic capacitance induced between the electrode of the cantilever and the support.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
64 words
A piezoelectric actuator, comprising a bimorph cantilever having a thin piezoelectric substance film and electrodes holding the film therebetween and being supported at an end by a support; a first insulating layer between the cantilever and the support; and a second insulating film on the other side of the support, and the first insulating layer having a thickness of not less than 5000 Å.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
41 words
The piezoelectric actuator of Claim 27 or Claim 28, wherein two insulating layers are provided between the support and the cantilever, and one of the insulating layers in contact with the support has a thickness of not less than 5000 Å.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
27 words
The piezoelectric actuator of Claim 27 or Claim 28, wherein the insulating layer in contact with the support is composed of a material resistant to anisotropic etching.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
22 words
The piezoelectric actuator of Claim 27 or Claim 28, wherein the insulating layer in contact with the support comprises silicon oxide layer.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
19 words
The piezoelectric actuator of Claim 29, wherein the insulating layer in contact with the support comprises silicon nitride layer.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
27 words
The piezoelectric actuator of Claim 27 or Claim 28, wherein the insulating layer in contact with the other side of the support comprises a silicon oxide film.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
16 words
The piezoelectric actuator of Claim 27 or Claim 28, wherein the support is composed of silicon.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
50 words
A process for producing a piezoelectric actuator, comprising steps of providing a first insulating layer on a support, providing a second insulating layer further thereon, laminating an electrode layer and a thin piezoelectric substance layer successively on one of the insulating layers, and removing the support to form a cantilever.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process for producing a piezoelectric actuator of Claim 35, wherein the first insulating layer has a thickness of not less than 5000 Å.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process for producing a piezoelectric actuator of Claim 35, wherein the support contains silicon.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process for producing a piezoelectric actuator of Claim 35, wherein the first insulating layer comprises a silicon oxide film.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process for producing a piezoelectric actuator of Claim 35, wherein the second insulating layer comprises a silicon nitride film.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process for producing a piezoelectric actuator of Claim 35, wherein the support is removed off by anisotropic etching.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
44 words
A cantilever probe have piezoelectric material (5) and electrodes (4, 6) supported at one end by a support (1) characterised by an insulating layer (2) between the support (1) and the cantilever for reducing parasitic capacitance between an electrode (4) and the support (1).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
WO1989007256A1
Cited
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