1. A self-assembled lipid bilayer material comprising a plurality of lipid bilayer molecules, each lipid bilayer molecule layered upon another lipid bilayer molecule, in a stacked columnar structure of less than a maximum of 900 Angstroms in diameter.
2. The self-assembled lipid bilayer material of claim 1 wherein each lipid bilayer molecule in said stacked columnar structure has a diameters in the range between approximately 600 Angstroms and approximately 900 Angstroms.
3. The self-assembled lipid bilayer material of claim 1 wherein the columnar structure is greater than approximately 300 Angstroms in length.
4. The self-assembled lipid bilayer material of claim 1 wherein the material is stable is aqueous solutions.
5. The self-assembled lipid bilayer material of claim 1 wherein a ligand is intercalated between said lipid bilayer molecules.
6. The self-assembled lipid bilayer material of claim 5 wherein said ligand has at least two bindings sites accessible from opposite sides of the ligand.
7. The self-assembled lipid bilayer material of claim 5 wherein said ligand is a cation.
8. The self-assembled lipid bilayer material of claim 5 wherein said ligand is a copper cation.
9. The self-assembled lipid bilayer material of claim 1 wherein said lipid bilayer molecules are functionalized with a receptor molecule.
10. The self-assembled lipid bilayer material of claim 9 wherein said receptor molecule is iminodiacetic acid.
11. The self-assembled lipid bilayer material of claim 1 wherein molecules selected from proteins, polymers and metal oxides are intercalated between said lipid bilayer molecules.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) memory microprobe arranged to oppose a recording medium, the microprobe comprising:
a probe tip comprising:
a plurality of electrodes; and
a plurality of support portions,
wherein one or more of the electrodes and one or more of the support portions are alternately arranged and form a first probe tip surface and a second probe tip surface intersecting with each other,
wherein the first probe tip surface comprises first electrode surfaces of the one or more of the electrodes and first support portion surfaces of the one or more of the support portions,
wherein the second probe tip surface comprises second electrode surfaces of the one or more of the electrodes and second support portion surfaces of the one or more of the support portions, and
wherein the first probe tip surface opposes the recording medium;
a lever providing at least one of electrical connection or mechanical connection with the probe tip; and
a base providing at least one of electrical connection or mechanical connection with the lever.
2. The microprobe according to claim 1, wherein a material of the electrodes is harder than a material of the support portions.
3. The microprobe according to claim 1, further comprising insulating layers sandwiched between the electrodes and the support portions.
4. The microprobe according to claim 1, wherein arbitrary sections of the probe tip parallel to the first probe tip surface are identical to each other.
5. The microprobe according to claim 1, wherein the electrodes are arranged in an array pattern along a direction parallel to a probe scan direction as a relative moving direction of the probe tip with respect to the recording medium.
6. The microprobe according to claim 1, wherein the lever comprises a first lever which supports the probe tip from a first direction, and a second lever which supports the probe tip from a second direction opposite to the first direction.
7. A recording apparatus comprising:
a recording medium; and
a microprobe arranged to oppose the recording medium, the microprobe comprising:
a probe tip comprising:
a plurality of electrodes; and
a plurality of support portions,
wherein one or more of the electrodes and one or more of the support portions are alternately arranged and form a a first probe tip surface and a second probe tip surface intersecting with each other,
wherein the first probe tip surface comprises first electrode surfaces of the one or more of the electrodes and first support portion surfaces of the one or more of the support portions,
wherein the second probe tip surface comprises second electrode surfaces of the one or more of the electrodes and second support portion surfaces of the one or more of the support portions, and
wherein the first probe tip surface opposes the recording medium;
a lever providing at least one of electrical connection or mechanical connection with the probe tip; and
a base providing at least one of electrical connection or mechanical connection with the lever.
8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a material of the electrodes is harder than a material of the support portions.
9. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising insulating layers sandwiched between the electrodes and the support portions.
10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein arbitrary sections of the probe tip parallel to the first probe tip surface are identical to each other.
11. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the electrodes are arranged in an array pattern along a direction parallel to a probe scan direction as a relative moving direction of the probe tip with respect to the recording medium.
12. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the lever comprises a first lever which supports the probe tip from a first direction, and a second lever which supports the probe tip from a second direction opposite to the first direction.