In order to calibrate the critical dimensional (CD) uncertainty of lithography masks in semiconductor manufacturing, NIM is building a two dimensional metrological UV microscope which has traceable measurement ability for nanometer linewidths and pitches. The microscope mainly consists of UV light receiving components, piezoelectric ceramics (PZT) driven stage and interferometer calibration framework. In UV light receiving components they include all optical elements on optical path. The UV light originates from Köhler high aperture transmit/reflect illumination sources; then goes through objective lens to UV splitting optical elements; after that, one part of light attains UV camera for large range calibration, the other part of light passes through a three dimensional adjusted pinhole and is collected by PMT for nanoscale scanning. In PZT driven stage, PZT stick actuators with closed loop control are equipped to push/pull a flexural hinge based platform. The platform has a novel designed compound flexural hinges which nest separate X, Y direction moving mechanisms within one layer but avoiding from mutual cross talk, besides this, the hinges also contain leverage structures to amplify moving distance. With these designs, the platform can attain 100 μm displacement ranges as well as 1 nm resolution. In interferometer framework a heterodyne multi-pass interferometer is mounted on the platform, which measures X-Y plane movement and Z axis rotation, through reference mirror mounted on objective lens tube and Zerodur mirror mounted on PZT platform, the displacement is traced back to laser wavelength. When development is finished, the apparatus can offer the capability to calibrate one dimensional linewidths and two dimensional pitches ranging from 200nm to 50μm with expanded uncertainty below 20nm.
KEYWORDS: Atomic force microscopy, Edge detection, Charge-coupled devices, Control systems, Calibration, 3D metrology, Quartz, Detection and tracking algorithms, Atomic force microscope, Optical resolution
Atomic force microscope (AFM) with dual probes that operate together can measure both side walls excellently at the same time, which virtually eliminates the prevalent effect of probe width that contributes a large component of uncertainty in measurement results and finally obtains the critical dimension (CD)(e.g. the linewidth) through data synthesis. In calibration process, the dual probes must contact each other in advance, which realizes the alignment in the three dimensions, to establish a zero reference point and ensure the accuracy of measurement. Because nowadays the optical resolution of advanced lens have exceeded micrometer range, and the size of probes is within micro level, it is possible to acquire dual probes images in both horizontal and vertical directions, through which the movement of the probes can be controlled in time. In order to further enhance the alignment precision, sub-pixel edge detection method based on Zernike orthogonal moment is used to obtain relative position between these two probes, which helps the tips alignment attains sub-micron range. Piezoelectric nanopositioning stages calibrated by laser interferometer are used to implement fine movement of the probes to verify the accuracy of the experimental results. To simplify the system, novel self-sensing and self-actuating probe based on a quartz tuning fork combined with a micromachined cantilever is used for dynamic mode AFM. In this case, an external optical detection system is not needed, so the system is simple and small.
KEYWORDS: Finite element methods, Sensors, Atomic force microscope, Feedback signals, Capacitance, Atomic force microscopy, Signal analysis, Calibration, Electrodes, Amplifiers
Atomic force microscope is one of indispensable measurement tools in nano/micronano precision manufacture and critical dimension measurement. To expand its industry application, a novel head and system are newly designed combined with Nanosensors cooperation’s patented probe — Akiyama probe, which is a self-sensing probe. The modal analysis and resonance frequency are obtained by finite element(FE) simulations. Using the Locked-in amplifier, the effective and available signal can be abtained. Through the experiment analysis, the retracting and extending curve reflects the tip and sample interaction. Furthermore, the measurement on the calibrated position system demonstrates that the whole system resolution can reach the nanometer scale.
The atomic force microscope (AFMs) is widely used in nanotechnology research and industry. To ensure the quantity consistency, the measurement precision of these machines must be calibrated and trace back to SI international unit. In the calibration process, first the standard grating pitch artifact is calibrated by metrological atomic force microscope which has the direct tracing capability; then the grating pitch artifact is transferred to calibrate the common AFMs. Because the importance of metrological atomic force microscope in nanometer tracing, the NIM of China has developed a large range metrological atomic force microscope with 50mm×50mm×2mm scan area. In this paper, the structure and performance of this instrument will be introduced briefly. The instrument utilizes a series of novel designs like hybrid air bearing and sliding guide platform, three dimensional orthogonal piezo scanner head, multi-pass interferometer and Fourier harmonic components separation method to achieve both high precision measurement in small area and fast measurement in large area. As a metrological instrument, the error sources and uncertainties of mAFM are also analyzed, theoretical analysis and experiments show the standard uncertainty of the mAFM is less than 2nm in small range and 20nm in large range
A large range multi-functional metrological atomic force microscope based on optical beam deflection method has been set up at NIM one year ago. Being designed intended to make a traceable measurement of standard samples, the machine uses three axes stacked piezoceramic actuators, each axis with a pair of push-pull piezo operated at opposite phases to make orthogonal scanning with maximized dimensional up to 50×50×2mm3. The stage displacement is measured by homodyne interferometer framework in x,y,z direction, from which beams are aligned to intersect at cantilever tip to avoid Abbe error, an eight times optical path multiplier interferometer mirror is researched to enhance fringe resolution. There is also a new compact AFM head integrated with LD, quadrant PD, cantilever, optical path and microscope, the head uses special track lens group to guarantee laser spot focused and static on the back of the cantilever, no matter whether or not the cantilever have lateral movements; similarly, reflect beam also focused and static in the center of quadrant detector through convergence lens group, assumed no cantilever bending on vertical direction. Attribute to above design, the AFM have a resolution up to 0.5nm. In the paper, further improvement is described to reduce the influence of parasitic interference caused by reflection from sample surface using laser multimode modulation, the results shows metrological AFM have a better performance in measuring step, lateral pitch, line width, nanoroughness and other nanoscale structures.
Interferometer is widely used in precise displacement measurement. Nonlinearity of interferometer is one of the major limits when using interferometers in nanometer displacement measurement. Nonlinearity is caused by phase mixing in homodyne interferometers due to the imperfect of polarization optical components. Both the detection part and interferometer part cause nonlinearity. In this study, the polarization mixing effect of multi-pass interferometer caused by the interferometer part is analyzed by Jones matrix. The effects of polarization beam splitter and wave plate on the nonlinearity are studied. The results show that the polarization mixing effect in multi-pass interferometers cause different orders of frequency components. The nonlinearity error is asymmetry with different harmonic components compared to that caused by the detection part.
A long range metrological atomic force microscope (AFM) has been developed at NIM. It aims to realize a maximum measurement volume of 50mm×50mm×2mm with an uncertainty of a few tens of nanometers in the whole range. In compliance with Abbe Principle, the instrument is designed as a sample-scanning type. The sample is moved by a 6-DOF piezostage in combination with a hybrid slide-air bearing stage for long scanning range. Homodyne interferometers with four passes attached to a metrological frame measure relative displacement between the probe and sample thus the instrument is directly traceable to the SI. An AFM head is developed as the measuring head for the instrument. Considering accuracy and dynamic performance of the instrument, it is designed to be capable of scanning perpendicularly in a range of 5μm×5μm×5μm with a 3-DOF piezostage. Optical beam deflection method is used and a minimum of components are mounted on the moving part. A novel design is devised so that the photodetector is only sensitive to the deflection of cantilever, but not the displacement of the head. Moving manner of the head varies with scanning range and mode of the instrument. Results of different measurements are demonstrated, showing the excellent performance of the instrument.
Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is most widely applied in scientific research and industrial production. AFM is a scanning probe imaging and measuring device, useful for physical and chemical studies. Depends on its basic structure, microscopic surface pattern can be measured and captured by mechanically scanning. Its vertical and horizon resolution can reach to 0.01nm and 0.1nm. Commonly the measurement values of commercial AFM are directly from scanning piezoelectric tube, so that it not a traceable value. In order to solve the problem of commercial AFM’s traceability, step height standard references are applied to calibrate the piezoelectric ceramic housing in scanning tube. All of the serial of step height standard references, covering the commercial AFM vertical scale, are calibrated by Metrology AFM developed by National Institute of Metrology (NIM), China. Three interferometers have been assembled in its XYZ axis, therefore the measurement value can directly trace to laser wavelength. Because of nonlinear characteristic of PZT, the method of segmental calibration is proposed. The measurement scale can be divided into several subsections corresponding to the calibrated values of the series of step height standards references. By this method the accuracy of measurements can be ensured in each segment measurement scale and the calibration level of the whole instrument can be promoted. In order to get a standard step shape by commercial AFM, substrate removal method is applied to deal with the bow shape problem.
A offset frequency lock system is used for I 0. 6jim laser heterodyne frequency tracking. The system uses digital offset-lock servo loop to realize the offset frequency lock of the tracking laser to the reference one. With computer realtime processing the offset frequency stability of 1 O 1 012is got by nieasurement of Allan variance at different sample times. The tracking range is 45MHz(when offset frequency is 32MHz)and the capture range is about 65MHz. The system shows an excellent anti-interference ability and a high stability.
Access to the requested content is limited to institutions that have purchased or subscribe to SPIE eBooks.
You are receiving this notice because your organization may not have SPIE eBooks access.*
*Shibboleth/Open Athens users─please
sign in
to access your institution's subscriptions.
To obtain this item, you may purchase the complete book in print or electronic format on
SPIE.org.
INSTITUTIONAL Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.
PERSONAL Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.