Sense of touch in submicron region realized by two-axis tactile sensor with a needle-like contactor

This is the first report about “sense of touch in submicron region” realized by novel 2-axis tactile sensor with a needle-like contactor. Simultaneous detection of submicron surface shape and correlated minute frictional force is realized by 0.5μm-radius contactor tip and highly sensitive strain sensing part of the sensor. Furthermore, contacting the contactor tip to measuring sample surface at a 10° slant angle, one-point contact is realized, and the spatial resolution of tactile sensing has been drastically improved to submicron range.