Microlever containing a magneto-impedance stress sensor

摘要

The microlever (1) has a rectangular or U shaped silicon beam (2) with one end (3) to be fixed to a support (4) and another end (5) to be free, and a magneto-impedance stress sensor (7) associated with the beam. Connecting units connect the sensor to a high frequency alternating current source, and detecting units detect a variation of the magneto-impedance of the sensor arranged to deduce deflection of the beam. The beam and the sensor are made of same element of magnetic material e.g. ferromagnetic material such as metal alloy e.g. nickel and iron, to form a monolithic structure. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a device for measuring a value representative of a state of a surface of a sample by sensing deflection of a microlever subjected to constraint (2) a method for manufacturing a microlever.