Active Probe Atomic Force Microscopy with Quattro-Parallel Cantilever Arrays for High-Throughput Large-Scale Sample Inspection

An Atomic Force Microscope&#160;(AFM) is&#160;a powerful and versatile tool for nanoscale surface studies to capture 3D topography images of samples. ...

Ilmenau University of Technology

nano analytik GmbH

Improved imaging rates in Atomic Force Microscopes (AFM) are of high interest for disciplines such as life sciences and failure analysis of semiconductor wafers, where the sample topology shows high aspect ratios. Also, fast imaging is necessary to cover a large surface under investigation in reasonable times. Since AFMs are composed of mechanical components, they are associated with comparably low resonance frequencies that undermine the effort to increase the acquisition rates. In particular, high and steep structures are difficult to follow, which causes the cantilever to temporarily loose contact to or crash into the sample. Here, we report on a novel approach that does not affect the scanner dynamics, but adapts the lateral scanning speed of the scanner. The controller monitors the control error signal and, only when necessary, decreases the scan speed to allow the z-piezo more time to react to changes in the sample's topography. In this case, the overall imaging rate can be significantly increased, because a general scan speed trade-off decision is not needed and smooth areas are scanned fast. In contrast to methods trying to increase the z-piezo bandwidth, our method is a comparably simple approach that can be easily adapted to standard systems.

Adaptive AFM scan speed control for high aspect ratio fast structure tracking.

High speed imaging and mapping of nanomechanical properties in atomic force microscopy (AFM) allows the observation and characterization of dynamic sample processes. Recent developments involve several cantilever frequencies in a multifrequency approach. One method actuates the first eigenmode for topography imaging and records the excited higher harmonics to map nanomechanical properties of the sample. To enhance the higher frequencies' response two or more eigenmodes are actuated simultaneously, where the higher eigenmode(s) are used to quantify the nanomechanics. In this paper, we combine each imaging methodology with a novel control approach. It modifies the Q factor and resonance frequency of each eigenmode independently to enhance the force sensitivity and imaging bandwidth. It allows us to satisfy the different requirements for the first and higher eigenmode. The presented compensator is compatible with existing AFMs and can be simply attached with minimal modifications. Different samples are used to demonstrate the improvement in nanomechanical contrast mapping and imaging speed of tapping mode AFM in air. The experiments indicate most enhanced nanomechanical contrast with low Q factors of the first and high Q factors of the higher eigenmode. In this scenario, the cantilever topography imaging rate can also be easily improved by a factor of 10.

Multi-eigenmode control for high material contrast in bimodal and higher harmonic atomic force microscopy.

Patterned chromium and its compounds are crucial materials for nanoscale patterning and chromium based devices. Here we investigate how temperature can be used to control chromium etching using chlorine/oxygen gas mixtures. Oxygen/chlorine ratios between 0% and 100% and temperatures between -100 °C and +40 °C are studied. Spectroscopic ellipsometry is used to precisely measure rates, chlorination, and the thickness dependence of n and k. Working in the extremes of oxygen content (very high or very low) and lower temperatures, we find rates can be controlled to nanometers per minute. Activation energies are measured and show that etch mechanisms are both temperature and oxygen level dependent. Furthermore, we find that etching temperature can manipulate the surface chemistry. One surprising consequence is that at low oxygen levels, Etching rates increase with decreasing temperature. Preliminary feature-profile studies show the extremes of temperature and oxygen provide advantages over commonly used room temperature processing conditions. One example is with higher ion energies at -100 °C, where etching products deposit.

Low temperature dry etching of chromium towards control at sub-5 nm dimensions.

The next generation of hard disk drive technology for data storage densities beyond 5 Tb/in will require single-bit patterning of features with sub-10 nm dimensions by nanoimprint lithography. To address this challenge master templates are fabricated using pattern multiplication with atomic layer deposition (ALD). Sub-10 nm lithography requires a solid understanding of materials and their interactions. In this work we study two important oxide materials, silicon dioxide and titanium dioxide, as the pattern spacer and look at their interactions with carbon, chromium and silicon dioxide. We found that thermal titanium dioxide ALD allows for the conformal deposition of a spacer layer without damaging the carbon mandrel and eliminates the surface modification due to the reactivity of the metal-organic precursor. Finally, using self-assembled block copolymer lithography and thermal titanium dioxide spacer fabrication, we demonstrate pattern doubling with 7.5 nm half-pitch spacer features.

Atomic layer deposition for spacer defined double patterning of sub-10 nm titanium dioxide features.

Following a brief historical summary of the way in which electron beam lithography developed out of the scanning electron microscope, three state-of-the-art charged-particle beam nanopatterning technologies are considered. All three have been the subject of a recently completed European Union Project entitled "Single Nanometre Manufacturing: Beyond CMOS". Scanning helium ion beam lithography has the advantages of virtually zero proximity effect, nanoscale patterning capability and high sensitivity in combination with a novel fullerene resist based on the sub-nanometre C molecule. The shot noise-limited minimum linewidth achieved to date is 6 nm. The second technology, focused electron induced processing (FEBIP), uses a nozzle-dispensed precursor gas either to etch or to deposit patterns on the nanometre scale without the need for resist. The process has potential for high throughput enhancement using multiple electron beams and a system employing up to 196 beams is under development based on a commercial SEM platform. Among its potential applications is the manufacture of templates for nanoimprint lithography, NIL. This is also a target application for the third and final charged particle technology, viz. field emission electron scanning probe lithography, FE-eSPL. This has been developed out of scanning tunneling microscopy using lower-energy electrons (tens of electronvolts rather than the tens of kiloelectronvolts of the other techniques). It has the considerable advantage of being employed without the need for a vacuum system, in ambient air and is capable of sub-10 nm patterning using either developable resists or a self-developing mode applicable for many polymeric resists, which is preferred. Like FEBIP it is potentially capable of massive parallelization for applications requiring high throughput.

Charged particle single nanometre manufacturing.

This paper presents a comprehensive modeling and experimental verification of active piezoresistive atomic force microscopy (AFM) cantilevers, which are the technology enabling high-resolution and high-speed surface measurements. The mechanical structure of the cantilevers integrating Wheatstone piezoresistive was modified with the use of focused ion beam (FIB) technology in order to increase the deflection sensitivity with minimal influence on structure stiffness and its resonance frequency. The FIB procedure was conducted based on the finite element modeling (FEM) methods. In order to monitor the increase in deflection sensitivity, the active piezoresistive cantilever was deflected using an actuator integrated within, which ensures reliable and precise assessment of the sensor properties. The proposed procedure led to a 2.5 increase in the deflection sensitivity, which was compared with the results of the calibration routine and analytical calculations.

Sensitivity Improvement to Active Piezoresistive AFM Probes Using Focused Ion Beam Processing.

This article reports a process for batch fabrication of a fiber pigtailed optomechanical transducer platform with overhanging. The platform enables a new class of high bandwidth, high sensitivity, and highly integrated sensors that are, compact, robust, and small, with the potential potential for low cost batch fabrication inherent in Micro-Opto-Electro-Mechanical-Systems technology. This article provides a guide to the whole fabrication process and explains critical steps and process choices in detail. Possible alternative fabrication techniques and problems are discussed. The fabrication process consists of electron beam lithography, i-line stepper lithography, and back- and frontside mask aligner lithography. The goal of this article is to provide a comprehensive description of the fabrication process, presenting context and details which are highly relevant to the rational implementation and reliable repetition of the process. Moreover, this process makes use of equipment commonly found in nanofabrication facilities and research laboratories, facilitating the broad adaptation and application of the process. Therefore, while this article specifically informs users of the Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology (CNST) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), we anticipate that this information will be generally useful for the nano- and microfabrication research communities at large.

Ivo W. Rangelow

Institute of Process Measurement and Sensor Technology,
Nanoscale Systems Group,
Institute of Process Measurement and Sensor Technology, Nanoscale Systems Group,
Nanoscale Systems Group, Institute of Process Measurement and Sensor Technology

Ilmenau University of Technology

Active Probe Atomic Force Microscopy with Quattro-Parallel Cantilever Arrays for High-Throughput Large-Scale Sample Inspection