E.I. Girargizov et al/Ultramicroscopy 82(2000)57-61 diameters of the droplets. Silicon-whisker array in diameter) provides a good stability with respect grown in such a way is shown in Fig. 1. Solidified to vibrations, while a small diameter of thethe droplets (globules")consisting of a mixture of sili- upper part(a"point"), 0.1 um and smaller, ensures con and gold microcrystallites are seen at the end of the whiskers The whiskers grown serve as a basis for prepara tion of the silicon tips. When the whiskers are treated by a solution that etches silicon slowly the dissolution of the silicon begins at the glob- ule-whisker interface(see Fig. 2)and, finally, the x0,1m globules are removed with a simultaneous forma tion of the silicon tips( Fig 3). The silicon tips can be very sharp down to nanometer sizes of their curvature radius. as shown in Fig. 4 目 3. Results and discussions 5-10严m The sharpened silicon tips can be used as probes for scanning probe devices(SPD). An advantage of such probes is the fact that the whisker technology allows to control the shape of the probes in a broad In particular, a probe shown in Fig. 5 can be considered as an ideal one: a broad basis(5-10 um Fig. 5. A scheme of an ideal AFM probe. Fig. 6. Examples of the realization of the ideal AFM probes.Fig. 6. Examples of the realization of the ideal AFM probes. Fig. 5. A scheme of an ideal AFM probe. diameters of the droplets. Silicon-whisker array grown in such a way is shown in Fig. 1. Solidi"ed droplets (`globulesa) consisting of a mixture of sili￾con and gold microcrystallites are seen at the ends of the whiskers. The whiskers grown serve as a basis for prepara￾tion of the silicon tips. When the whiskers are treated by a solution that etches silicon slowly, the dissolution of the silicon begins at the glob￾ule}whisker interface (see Fig. 2) and, "nally, the globules are removed with a simultaneous forma￾tion of the silicon tips (Fig. 3). The silicon tips can be very sharp, down to nanometer sizes of their curvature radius, as shown in Fig. 4. 3. Results and discussions The sharpened silicon tips can be used as probes for scanning probe devices (SPD). An advantage of such probes is the fact that the whisker technology allows to control the shape of the probes in a broad range. In particular, a probe shown in Fig. 5 can be considered as an ideal one: a broad basis (5}10 lm in diameter) provides a good stability with respect to vibrations, while a small diameter of the the upper part (a `pointa), 0.1 lm and smaller, ensures E.I. Givargizov et al. / Ultramicroscopy 82 (2000) 57}61 59