US Patent 7170055 - Nanotube tip for magnetic force microscopy

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7170055.pdf

Magnetic force microscopy is an offshoot of atomic force microscopy designed to detect magnetic properties on the sub-micron scale and is useful for characterizing high density magnetic memory recording media. This patent allows for characterizations of high aspect ratio pits in the magnetic media by attaching metal via a nanotube to the microscope tip. Claim 1 reads:

1. A nanotube-based tip arrangement comprising: a tip base; at least one nanotube having a fixed end coupled to the tip base and having a free end extending away from the tip base; a sticking layer of material coated onto the free end of the at least one nanotube; and a layer of metal material coated onto the sticking layer.