Atomic Force Microscope for Large Size Sample 2nd Report, 0.1 nm Resolution and 25 mm-area Scanning

• Published in: Transactions of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers Series C Vol. 72; no. 717; pp. 1538 - 1543
• Main Authors: KUNITOMO, Yuichi, MURAYAMA, Ken, MORIMOTO, Takafumi, HOSAKA, Sumio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers 25.05.2006
• Subjects: AFM; Atomic Force Microscopy; Friction Guide; Piezoelectric Device; Scanning Mechanism; Semiconductor Wafer; Static Pressure Guide
• ISSN: 0387-5024; 1884-8354
• DOI: 10.1299/kikaic.72.1538

We have developed a new AFM (Atomic force microscopy) for semiconductor device evaluation with high resolution of 0.1 nm and wide-area measuring function to 25 mm area using two scanning mechanisms, a piezoelectric XY scanner of 10 im stroke combined with an on-axis optical microscope and an ultra-flat XY stage of 200 mm stroke moving on a reference plane with a static pressure guide or a contact friction guide switched to non-pressure. We demonstrated three operations, high-resolution mode with the piezoelectric scanner on the friction guide condition, middle-area mode from 5μm to 1mm area with the static pressure guide and 25mm wide-area mode with the friction guide. Finally, an atomic step of 0.3 nm height, CMP (Chemical Mechanical Polishing) samples with 2-10 mm measurement area and the flatness accuracy of 30 nm/25 mm were measured in one AFM.