title: Conductive nichrome probe tips: fabrication, characterization and application as nanotools.
abstract: Conductive nichrome probe tips have been developed as functionalized nanotools for nanoscale electrical testing and nanowelding. The apex size and shape of the ultra-sharp probes is controllable and reproducible. Structural and chemical characterization have been systematically carried out. The conductive quality of these tips has been demonstrated using them for nanoscale electrical testing and as a nanotool for nanowelding, indicating that they can easily form remarkable low resistance ohmic contacts. Nichrome tips should have a wide application as nanotools in nanotechnology, and be advantageous in competition with other scanning probe tips because of their unique combination of high resistance to oxidation, high hardness and relatively high resistivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Engineering Materials, Sheffield University, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cullis
authors.forename: Günter
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Möbus
authors.forename: Xiaojing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Beverley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Inkson