The invention relates to a method for providing a probe device for scanning probe microscopy, in particular for atomic force microscopy, wherein a scanning probe microscope is used for measuring a sample by means of a tip which is arranged on a cantilever of the probe device and which has a tip geometry. According to the invention, in a step upstream of the manufacturing process producing the tip, the tip geometry is optimized based on a selected tip basic form with regard to defined, required measurement properties, by computer simulating and evaluating the tip geometry, and modifying the tip geometry according to the evaluation with regard to these measurement properties. The invention further relates to a probe device for scanning probe microscopy, in particular for atomic force microscopy, having a cantilever and a tip formed on the cantilever in the nanometer range, with which samples to be measured can be scanned.