Microfabrication methods allow implementing a heater element into micromechanical cantilevers that are used for scanning force microscopy. Using such heaters, tip temperatures up to 1000°C can be achieved within a few milliseconds. The images below show a scanning electron microscopy image (left) of a microfabricated cantilever and a temperature profile of its end (right) measured during operation.

The control of tip temperature allows to locally measuring polymer properties such as the glass transition temperature, softening or melting points. Furthermore, hot tips can be used to initiate thermal induced reaction or phase separation processes.

• R. Kappes, L. Chen, H.-J. Butt, J. S. Gutmann: Time-resolved, local temperature measurements during pulsed laser heating. New Journal of Physics, 2010, 12, 083011