Novel technology for fabrication of probe tips for SPM using focused ion beam-induced deposition method

Abstract

The results of an experimental study of the fabrication of high aspect probe tips for atomic force microscopy (AFM) and critical dimension AFM (CD AFM) using the focused ion beam (FIB) milling and ion beam induced deposition of carbon are presented. It is shown that the probes formed by the FIB method have a higher resolution of surface scanning and allow studying nanoscale structures without distortion. In this work, a technique for the formation of AFM probes based on the use of a combination of ion-beam milling and ion-induced carbon deposition was developed. Based on the developed technique, high aspect probe with about 8 μm high, with a tip radius of about 40 nm and an aspect ratio of 30:1, were fabricated. A probe for CD AFM was also formed using FIB-induced deposition of carbon with about 320 nm of flare. The results obtained in the study can be used in the development of technological processes for the manufacturing and modification of special probes for AFM, including probes CD-AFM. The paper shows the possibility of forming the tip of the probes for specialized tasks of nanodiagnostics and nanometrology. The proposed technology allows reducing the artefacts of scanning probe microscopy and improving the adequacy of the results of AFM studies.

Batch Fabrication of Silicon Nanometer Tip Using Isotropic Inductively Coupled Plasma Etching

“…Several fabrication methods for nanometer tips have been developed, such as tip growing [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ], back-filling [ 24 , 25 ], and tip etching. Depositing materials directly onto a cantilever or a pyramid using vapor-liquid-solid (VLS), focused ion beam (FIB) or focused electron-beam-induced deposition can realize fine needle tips, but the cost for individual growth is too high and fabrication process is too long, which limits the scale of production.…”