Integrated Silicon profilometer and AFM head

• US 5,861,549 A
• Filed: 12/10/1996
• Issued: 01/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xros, Inc. (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Xros, Inc. (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Slater, Timothy G., Neukermans, Armand P.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOLAND, THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US08/762,589
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 73/105, 269/57, 269/71, 310/333, 318/638, 250/306, 250/307
• US Class Current: 310/333
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/34 for measuring roughness or irregularity of surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G01Q 10/04 Fine scanning or positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G01Q 60/38 Probes, their manufacture, or their related instrumentation, e.g. holders
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/872 Positioner
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/44923 Clasp, clip, or support-clamp cut or shaped from a single sheet of resilient, uniformly thick, planar material

Abstract

A topographic head for profilometry and AFM supports a central paddle by coaxial torsion bars projecting inward from an outer frame. A tip projects from the paddle distal from the bars. The torsion bars include an integrated paddle rotation sensor. A XY stage may carry the topographic head for X and Y axis translation. The XYZ stage'"'"'s fixed outer base is coupled to an X-axis stage via a plurality of flexures. The X-axis stage is coupled to a Y-axis stage also via a plurality of flexures. One of each set of flexures includes a shear stress sensor. A Z-axis stage may also be included to provide an integrated XYZ scanning stage. The topographic head'"'"'s frame, bars and paddle, and the XYZ stage'"'"'s stage-base, X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis stages, and flexures are respectively monolithically fabricated by micromachining from a semiconductor wafer.

Claims

1. A micromachined XY scanning stage comprising:

an outer stage-base that is adapted to be held fixed with respect to a surface to be scanned;

an intermediate X-axis stage that is coupled to and supported from the stage-base by a plurality of flexures, at least one of the flexures coupling between said stage-base and said X-axis stage having a shear stress sensor formed therein for sensing stress in that flexure;

an inner Y-axis stage that is coupled to and supported from the X-axis stage by a plurality of flexures, at least one of the flexures coupling between said X-axis stage and said Y-axis stage having a shear stress sensor formed therein for sensing stress in that flexure;

said stage-base, X-axis stage, Y-axis stage, and flexures all being monolithically fabricated from a semiconductor single-crystal silicon layer of a substrate; and

sensing means supported by, and carried for X-axis and Y-axis translation by, said X-axis stage and Y-axis stage.

2. The XY scanning stage of claim 1 wherein said sensing means adapts the XY scanning stage for sensing topography of a surface, said sensing means including:

a Z-axis stage having torsion bars that project inwardly from opposing sides of said Y-axis stage and are aligned along a common axis for supporting a Z-axis paddle within said Y-axis stage;

said torsion bars and Z-axis paddle being monolithically fabricated from a semiconductor single-crystal silicon layer of a substrate together with said stage-base, X-axis stage, Y-axis stage, and flexures;

said Z-axis paddle being supported within the Y-axis stage for rotation about the common axis of the torsion bars, defining a rest plane if no external force is applied to said Z-axis paddle, and being rotatable about the common axis of said torsion bars to a rotational-position displaced from the rest plane by a force applied to said Z-axis paddle;

said Z-axis paddle being adapted for carrying a scanning sensor;

drive means for urging to said Z-axis paddle to rotate about the common axis of said torsion bars; and

rotational-position sensing means for measuring the rotational-position of said Z-axis paddle about the common axis of said torsion bars.

3. The XY scanning stage of claim 2 wherein the scanning sensor carried by said Z-axis stage is a micromachined topographic head adapted for use in sensing topography of a surface, the topographic head including:

a frame from which inwardly project opposing torsion bars that are aligned along a common axis and that support a central paddle within said frame;

said frame, torsion bars and central paddle all being monolithically fabricated from a semiconductor single-crystal silicon layer of a substrate;

said central paddle being supported within the frame for rotation about the common axis of the torsion bars, having a center, defining a rest plane if no external force is applied to said central paddle, and being rotatable about the common axis of said torsion bars to a rotational-position displaced from the rest plane by a force applied to said central paddle;

said central paddle including a tip that projects outward from said central paddle distal from said torsion bars, the tip being adapted for juxtaposition with a surface for sensing the topography thereof;

drive means for urging to said central paddle to rotate about the common axis of said torsion bars; and

rotational-position sensing means for measuring the rotational-position of said central paddle about the common axis of said torsion bars.

4. The XY scanning stage of claim 2 wherein said drive means is a laminated metal unimorph that is coupled to said Z-axis paddle.

5. The XY scanning stage of claim 2 wherein said drive means is a bimorph that is coupled to said Z-axis paddle.

6. The XY scanning stage of claim 2 wherein said drive means is formed from stress-biased PLZT material of a Rainbow type of ceramic which has been processed so one side surface thereof has been compositionally reduced to obtain a material having a cermet composition, whereby the drive means constitutes a monolithic unimorph, the unimorph being coupled to said Z-axis paddle.

7. The XY scanning stage of claim 1 wherein the shear stress sensor includes a piezo sensor.

8. The XY scanning stage of claim 1 wherein the shear stress sensor includes a piezo resistor.

9. The XY scanning stage of claim 1 further comprising X-axis drive means.

10. The XY scanning stage of claim 9 wherein said X-axis drive means is interposed between said outer stage-base and said intermediate X-axis stage.

11. The XY scanning stage of claim 9 wherein said X-axis drive means is a piezo transducer interposed between said outer stage-base and said intermediate X-axis stage.

12. The XY scanning stage of claim 11 wherein said piezo transducer is a laminated metal unimorph.

13. The XY scanning stage of claim 11 wherein said piezo transducer is a bimorph.

14. The XY scanning stage of claim 11 wherein said piezo transducer is formed from stress-biased PI, ZT material of a Rainbow type of ceramic which has been processed so one side surface thereof has been compositionally reduced to obtain a material having a cermet composition, whereby the piezo transducer constitutes a monolithic unimorph.

15. The XY scanning stage of claim 1 further comprising Y-axis drive means.

16. The XY scanning stage of claim 15 wherein said Y-axis drive means is interposed between said intermediate X-axis stage and said inner Y-axis stage.

17. The XY scanning stage of claim 15 wherein said Y-axis drive means is a piezo transducer interposed between said intermediate X-axis stage and said inner Y-axis stage.

18. The XY scanning stage of claim 17 wherein said piezo transducer is a laminated metal unimorph.

19. The XY scanning stage of claim 17 wherein said piezo transducer is a bimorph.

20. The XY scanning stage of claim 17 wherein said piezo transducer is formed from stress-biased PLZT material of a Rainbow type of ceramic which has been processed so one side surface thereof has been compositionally reduced to obtain a material having a cermet composition, whereby the piezo transducer constitutes a monolithic unimorph.