Double-Wire Electrodes

In the Double-Wire Electrode probe, two platinum wires are tapered inside a dual-channel nanopipette and kept electrically isolated. They can be used to perform electrical measurements on submicron-scale devices, such as resistance and capacitance measurements. Because the probes use normal-force feedback to stay in contact with the surface, these electrical measurements can be correlated with the surface topography obtained through the simultaneous AFM imaging.

 

   
Double-wire Electrode probe with two tapered wires running inside a nanopipette   SEM of Double-wire Electrode Probe: line is 1um long

 

 

General Double-Wire Probe Specifications

Pipette material

Borosilicate glass

Shank diameter

1.0-1.5 mm

Taper length

3 - 5 mm

Total length

10mm- 5 cm

Wire material

Pt

Starting Wire diameter

25 or 50 µm

Diameter of Wire at Tip

0.2 - 10 µm

Distance Between Wires

0.3 - 100 µm

Length of Wires Outside Glass

0.5 - 10 µm

Cantilever Characteristics

Tip Length

30 µm - 500 µm (Cantilevered);30 µm - 1000 µm (Straight)

Cantilever Height

50 - 500 µm(Deep Trench probes available)

Cantilever Length

300- 1000 µm

Force Constant

> 5-20 N/m

Resonant Frequency

> 390 kHz