Microprobe array with electrical interconnection for thermal imaging and data storage

In this work, new novel methods for fabricating a thermal probe array with 32 /spl times/ 32 probes on one chip are proposed. It consists of silicon micromachined probe, AlN actuator, pyramidal SiO/sub 2/ tip on which the nano-scale metal-metal junction is formed using a self-alignment technique. The nano-junction can be used as a thermocouple to measure a local temperature on a sample surface or as a nano-heater to make a local deformation on a media. Using the fabricated thermal probe, temperature distribution is measured on a prepared sample surface and the local heating capability of the thermal probe is confirmed. Preliminary experiments for data writing and reading are performed on a phase change medium.