Investigations on the positioning accuracy of the Nano Fabrication Machine (NFM-100)

Abstract

This contribution deals with the analysis of the positioning accuracy of a new Nano Fabrication Machine. This machine uses a planar direct drive system and has a positioning range up to 100 mm in diameter. The positioning accuracy was investigated in different movement scenarios, including phases of acceleration and deceleration. Also, the target position error of certain movements at different positions of the machine slider is considered. Currently, the NFM-100 is equipped with a tip-based measuring system. This Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) uses self-actuating and self-sensing microcantilevers, which can be used also for Field-Emission-Scanning-Probe-Lithography (FESPL). This process is capable of fabricating structures in the range of nanometres. In combination with the NFM-100 and its positioning range, nanostructures can be analysed and written in a macroscopic range without any tool change. However, the focus in this article is on the measurement and positioning accuracy of the tip-based measuring system in combination with the NFM-100 and is verified by repeated measurements. Finally, a linescan, realised using both systems, is shown over a long range of motion of 30 mm.

Investigations on tip-based large area nanofabrication and nanometrology using a planar nanopositioning machine (NFM-100)

“…Natural hard stone serves the base of the machine. The top surface is machined to achieve a flatness of less than 1 µm and serves as a guide surface for the aerostatic guide elements of the machine slider [35]. These enable high repeatability and, above all, high stiffness in the z-direction as well as low friction during the x-y-movement [36].…”

“…A thermomechanical actuator is used for oscillation (coloured in orange) and a Wheatstone-bridge is used to detect the deflection of the cantilever at the clamping point (coloured in green). The measuring/fabrication tip is placed at the free end of the cantilever [35,44]. their deviations from the ideal shape are essential parameters.…”

“…The application of the combined NFM-100 and AFM system in a real scenario is the quality control for arbitrary periodic structures such as scales, diffraction gratings, metamaterials on long ranges, or large area scans through several parallel scan lines, as could be shown for example in [46][47][48][49].…”

“…Figure 10. Overview of the mean distances and mean heights of the respective measurement series (based on [35]). 99.974 µm ± 29 nm (k = 1).…”

Investigation on the lithographic process of a high-precision direct laser writing system

“…To obtain information about the line width depth as well as the line shape, the generated structures were measured with an atomic force microscope in combination with a planar nanopositioning machine (NFM-100). 16…”