A new method for the calibration of the vertical scale of a stylus profilometer using multiple delta-layer films

Abstract

A new method for the vertical scale calibration in step height measurement has been established using a multiple delta-layer film. The vertical scale of a stylus profilometer can be traceable to the length unit by the certified film thickness in a multiple delta-layer. A Si/Ge multiple delta-layer film with six Si layers separated by Ge delta-layers was developed. The total thickness and delta-layer spacing were certified by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. Six craters with different depth were formed on the Si/Ge multiple delta-layer film by ion beam sputtering via SIMS depth profiling. The depths of the craters can be determined from the certified depth of the delta-layer and direct measurements using a stylus profilometer calibrated by a step-height standard. The vertical scale of a stylus profilometer can be calibrated by the slope and the offset of the measured crater depth fitted as a function of the certified nominal thickness.

Calibration of the scales of areal surface topography measuring instruments: part 2. Amplification, linearity and squareness

“…Methods for calibrating the full range of the z-axis have been previously discussed [12] but they can be difficult to apply in an industrial environment. Other calibration methods allow correction for the linearity errors of the z-axis scale [13] or calibrate the z-axis scale accurately over a limited range [14], but once again they are difficult to apply in practice.…”

Atomic spectrometry update. Atomic mass spectrometry

“…A new method for the vertical scale calibration in step height measurements by stylus profilometry was based on the use of a multiple d-layer film. 177 The expanded uncertainties on commonly used step height standards were typically in the range of several nm. Therefore, a Si/Ge multiple d-layer film with 6 d-layers at a distance of $40 nm was developed and HR TEM was applied to a cross section for the determination of the layer positions.…”

Atomic spectrometry update. Industrial analysis: metals, chemicals and advanced materials

“…A new method for the calibration of the vertical scale of a stylus profilometer using delta-layer films was reported by Kim and co-workers. 305 A Si/Ge multiple layer film with Si separated by delta-Ge layers was developed. The total thickness of the film and the delta-layer spacing were certified by high resolution TEM.…”