Interlaboratory comparison of traceable atomic force microscope pitch measurements

Ronald Dixson; Donald A. Chernoff; Shihua Wang; Theodore V. Vorburger; Siew Leng Tan; Ndubuisi G. Orji; Joseph Fu

doi:10.1117/12.858353

10 June 2010 Interlaboratory comparison of traceable atomic force microscope pitch measurements

Ronald Dixson, Donald A. Chernoff, Shihua Wang, Theodore V. Vorburger, Siew Leng Tan, Ndubuisi G. Orji, Joseph Fu

Proceedings Volume 7729, Scanning Microscopy 2010; 77290M (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.858353
Event: Scanning Microscopy 2010, 2010, Monterey, California, United States

Abstract

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Advanced Surface Microscopy (ASM), and the National Metrology Centre (NMC) of the Agency for Science, Technology, and Research (A*STAR) in Singapore have completed a three-way interlaboratory comparison of traceable pitch measurements using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The specimen being used for this comparison is provided by ASM and consists of SiO₂ lines having a 70 nm pitch patterned on a silicon substrate. NIST has a multifaceted program in atomic force microscope (AFM) dimensional metrology. One component of this effort is a custom in-house metrology AFM, called the calibrated AFM (C-AFM). The NIST C-AFM has displacement metrology for all three axes traceable to the 633 nm wavelength of the iodine-stabilized He-Ne laser - a recommended wavelength for realization of the SI (Système International d'Unités, or International System of Units) meter. NIST used the C-AFM to participate in this comparison. ASM used a commercially available AFM with an open-loop scanner, calibrated by a 144 nm pitch transfer standard. In a prior collaboration with Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), the German national metrology institute, ASM's transfer standard was calibrated using PTB's traceable optical diffractometry instrument. Thus, ASM's measurements are also traceable to the SI meter. NMC/A*STAR used a large scanning range metrological atomic force microscope (LRM-AFM). The LRM-AFM integrates an AFM scanning head into a nano-stage equipped with three built-in He-Ne laser interferometers so that its measurement related to the motion on all three axes is directly traceable to the SI meter. The measurements for this interlaboratory comparison have been completed and the results are in agreement within their expanded uncertainties and at the level of a few parts in 104.

Citation Download Citation

Ronald Dixson, Donald A. Chernoff, Shihua Wang, Theodore V. Vorburger, Siew Leng Tan, Ndubuisi G. Orji, and Joseph Fu "Interlaboratory comparison of traceable atomic force microscope pitch measurements", Proc. SPIE 7729, Scanning Microscopy 2010, 77290M (10 June 2010); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.858353

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

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.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available