High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Thermal Probe Lithography (TPL) is a form of Scanning Probe Lithography used to transcribe patterns or images to a surface at the micro or nanoscale. TPL uses a micro cantilever probe with a sharp tip, usually with a radius of curvature <50 nm, that can be heated to temperatures upwards of 700°C. The heated tip can be used to evaporate solvents from a resist or to decompose and remove a mask substrate. Both of these methods result in polymer masks. A thermal probe is also useful for depositing special inks, a process known as thermal Dip Pen Lithography.