Multidimensional sensing system for atomic force microscopy
First Claim
1. A silicon based scanning probe cantilever comprising of:
- at least one reflective region on a top surface of said cantilever; and
at least one non-reflective region on the top surface of said cantilever.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A scanning probe microscopy tool with innovative sensing system is provided by the present disclosure. This scanning probe microscopy tool includes a special cantilever with partially reflective surfaces that makes the scanning probe tool more capable. This scanning probe microscopy tool also includes at least one light source that illuminates the cantilever with a light beam that need not be focused and may be collimated. In addition, the light beam may be larger than the size of the oscillator and may illuminate more than one cantilever. This scanning probe microscopy tool also includes at least one detector where the preferred detector is a continuous position sensitive detector. The innovative sensing system enables CD-AFM tool configurations where the probe may be twisted about its long axes as to better access vertical and re-entrant surfaces of features, including challenging semiconductor device features with high aspect ratio. The twisted probe may be a twisted cantilever or tip tilted with respect to the cantilever. The innovative sensing system enables measurement of the absolute and relative position and orientation of the probe as the probe interacts with a sample.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A silicon based scanning probe cantilever comprising of:
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at least one reflective region on a top surface of said cantilever; and
at least one non-reflective region on the top surface of said cantilever. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A scanning probe microscopy tool, comprising:
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a cantilever;
a light beam illuminating said cantilever with collimated light;
a detection system;
an actuation system; and
and a control system.
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5. A scanning probe microscopy tool, comprising:
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a cantilever;
a light beam that reflects off said cantilever wherein said light beam cross-section at intersection plane with said cantilever is larger than at least the width of said cantilever;
a detection system;
an actuation system; and
a control system. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A scanning probe microscopy tool, comprising:
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a cantilever with at least one reflective region and at least one non-reflective region on a top surface of said cantilever;
a light beam that reflects off said cantilever wherein the cross-section of said light beam at an intersection plane with said cantilever is larger than said reflective surface, a detection system;
an actuation system; and
a control system.
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13. A scanning probe microscopy tool, comprising:
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a cantilever;
a light beam that is AC modulated at a frequency that coincides with at least one resonant frequency of the cantilever;
a detection system;
an actuation system; and
a control system.
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14. A scanning probe microscopy tool, comprising:
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a cantilever, a light beam which is AC modulated at a frequency that is multiplicative of at least one resonant frequency of the cantilever;
a detection system;
an actuation system; and
a control system.
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15. A CD-AFM metrology tool, comprising:
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a cantilever twisted about its long axis wherein a tip of said cantilever is adapted to access vertical and re-entrant surfaces of features;
a light source;
a detection system;
an actuation system; and
a control system. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A CD-AFM metrology tool of claim 146, wherein said cantilever is rastered in a vertical Z direction.
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23. A CD-AFM metrology tool, comprising:
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a tip tilted with respect to a cantilever wherein said tip can access vertical and re-entrant surfaces, a light source;
a detection system;
an actuation system; and
a control system.
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24. A CD AFM metrology tool, comprising:
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a cantilever;
a first light beam that reflects off said cantilever;
a first position sensitive detector that captures said first reflected light beam;
a second light beam that reflects off said first position sensitive detector;
a second position sensitive detector that captures said second reflected light beam;
an actuation system; and
a control system.
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Specification