Silicon-based field-effect-transistor cantilever for surface potential mapping

A silicon-based scanning probe with a field effect transistor (FET) has been developed. The FET is integrated onto an atomic force microscope cantilever with a sharpened tip. The commonly used complementary-metal–oxide–semiconductor process has been employed to construct the FET using a silicon-on-insulator wafer. The probe is used to measure a surface potential with a resolution of <300 nm when determined by the edge of patterned SiO2 islands. The probe can be also used to detect local properties on semiconductor surfaces, such as isolated charge distributions on a surface or at subsurface.