By vibrating a scanning-probe tip (a tool for measuring and manipulating matter at the nanoscale) at 1 MHz, IBM scientists have virtually eliminated tip wear, allowing for development of next-generation computer chips with higher performance and smaller feature sizes.

Uses of scanning probe-based technologies include nanofabrication, nanolithography. and high-speed metrology. Operating a large number of tips in parallel would enable, high-throughput, high-speed, automated metrology systems for potential use in chip development and manufacturing, and high speed patterning of complex two and three-dimensional nanoscale structures.