GaN nanowire tips for nanoscale atomic force microscopy

Imaging of high-aspect-ratio nanostructures with sharp edges and straight walls in nanoscale metrology by atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been challenging due to the mechanical properties and conical geometry of the majority of available commercial tips. Here we report on the fabrication of GaN probes for nanoscale metrology of high-aspect-ratio structures to enhance the resolution of AFM imaging and improve the durability of AFM tips. GaN nanowires were fabricated using bottom-up and top-down techniques and bonded to Si cantilevers to scan vertical trenches on Si substrates. Over several scans, the GaN probes demonstrated excellent durability while scanning uneven structures and showed resolution enhancements in topography images, independent of scan direction, compared to commercial Si tips. (letter)