Development and Application of “Soft” Probe for Various Types of Electric Measurements

Abstract

A simple probe that is applicable as an electric contact to mechanically weak materials such as nm-thick films and 2D films (graphene, MoS₂, and so forth) without destroying the specimen has been developed. The concept of the development of the probe is based on the repulsive region used in atomic force microscopy technique but without any precise feedback. The robust electric contact with the probe has been demonstrated by some examples of electric measurements including that of a 5-layer graphene film on sapphire.