US5480046A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fiber probe fabrication having a tip with concave sidewalls
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1994-05-20
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Granted: 1996-01-02
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Expires: 2014-05-20
Abstract
Abstract A probe device is fabricated from a glass fiber segment by first isotropically etching only a portion of the diameter of only a bottom region thereof. Next, the bottom region is cleaved, to produce a cleaved bottom endface. Then the cleaved endface and a height of the sidewalls of the bottom region that is less than its total height are coated with a protective masking layer. The fiber segment is immersed in an isotropic etching solution, whereby its diameter is reduced. Finally, the masking layer is stripped off, and the bottom region is etched again until the (maximum) diameter of the cleaved endface is reduced to a desired value.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert W. Filas
- 👤 Herschel M. Marchman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 04:08
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01Q; G01Q60/00; G01Q60/18; G01Q60/22; C; C03; C03B; C03B37/00; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of making a fiber probe device including the steps of: (a) providing a cylindrical fiber segment; (b) etching, prior to step (c), only a cylindrical bottom region of the fiber segment, the bottom region having an initial height, whereby its maximum width is reduced; (c) cleaving the bottom region whereby its initial height is reduced to a reduced height and a cleaved bottom endface thereof is produced; (d) coating both the cleaved endface and a first height of the sidewalls that is equal to or less than its reduced height with a protective masking layer; (e) etching the bottom region whereby the sidewalls thereof become concave; (f) removing, prior to step (g), the masking layer; and (g) etching the bottom region whereby the maximum width of the cleaved endface is reduced to a desired value.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of making a fiber probe device including the steps of: (a) providing a cylindrical fiber segment; (b) etching, prior to step (c), only a cylindrical bottom region of the fiber segment, the bottom region having an initial height, whereby its maximum width is reduced; (c) cleaving the bottom region whereby its initial height is reduced to a reduced height and a cleaved bottom endface thereof is produced; (d) coating both the cleaved endface and a first height of the sidewalls that is equal to or less than its reduced height with a protective masking layer; (e) etching the bottom region whereby the sidewalls thereof become concave; (f) removing, prior to step (g), the masking layer; and (g) etching the bottom region whereby the maximum width of the cleaved endface is reduced to a desired value.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 in which the desired value is in the approximate range of 0.01 μm to 150 μm.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 2 in which the approximate range is 0.05 μm to 0.5 μm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 2 in which the approximate range is 0.05 μm to 0.2 μm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 3 in which the cleaving is oriented in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the bottom cylindrical region.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 in which the ratio of the first height to the reduced height is in the approximate range of 0.5 to 1.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 in which the etching of step (e) in claim 1 is essentially isotropic.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 7 in which the etching of step (g) is essentially isotropic.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 in which the cleaving is oriented in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the bottom cylindrical region.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 in which the reduced height is in the approximate range of 0.05 μm to 30 μm.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 9 in which the ratio of the first height to the reduced height is in the approximate range of 0.5 to 1.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 in which the reduced height is in the approximate range of 0.5 μm to 10 μm.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 11 in which the ratio of the first height to the reduced height is in the approximate range of 0.5 to 1.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising, between steps (b) and (c), the step of further etching a lowest portion of the bottom region, whereby the maximum width of the lowest portion is less than that of the bottom region.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of probing a surface of a sample body including making the fiber probe device in accordance with claim 14 followed by moving the fiber probe device across the surface of the sample body.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 15 in which the protective layer is formed by dissolving a chlorofluorocarbon polymer resin in an organic solvent.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 15 in which the protective layer is formed by dissolving a chlorofluorocarbon polymer resin in a ketone or an ester or a mixture of a ketone and an ester.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 14 in which the fiber segment is essentially glass and in which the protective masking layer is formed by dissolving a chlorofluorocarbon polymer resin in an organic solvent.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 14 in which the fiber segment is essentially glass and in which the protective masking layer is formed by dissolving a chlorofluorocarbon polymer resin in a ketone or an ester or a mixture of a ketone and an ester.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 in which the protective masking layer is formed by dissolving a chlorofluorocarbon polymer resin in an organic solvent.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 in which the protective masking layer is formed by dissolving a chlorofluorocarbon polymer resin in a ketone or an ester or a mixture of a ketone and an ester.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1 in which the fiber segment is essentially glass and in which the protective masking layer is formed by dissolving a chlorofluorocarbon polymer resin in an organic solvent.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1 in which the fiber segment is essentially glass and in which the protective layer is formed by dissolving a chlorofluorocarbon polymer resin in a ketone or an ester or a mixture of a ketone and an ester.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of probing a surface of a sample body including making the fiber probe device in accordance with claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 20, 21, 22, or 23 followed by moving the fiber probe device across the surface of the sample body.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-01-01 | 1999-07-03 | 2000-01-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-01-01 | 2003-07-03 | 2004-01-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-01-01 | 2007-07-03 | 2008-01-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |