US Patent 7281419 - Plural scanning probe tips formed of different materials and radius

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7281419.html

The use of scanning probe technology originated in the 1980's for microscopy on the nanoscale and has gradually been applied to other nanoscale operations such as lithography, mask repair, and data storage. This patent from the University of Illinois teaches the use of scanning probe tips formed of differing materials and sizes on a common probe array to enable a wider range of operations such as multiple resolution processing. Claim 1 reads:

1. A probe array, comprising: a handle, a first probe, comprising a first shank, connected to the handle, and a first tip having a radius of curvature of at least 300 nm, a second probe, comprising a second shank, connected to the handle, and a second tip having a radius of curvature less than 300 nm; where the first tip and the second tip are made of different materials, and the first tip comprises an elastomer.