Tip characterizer for atomic force microscopy

Abstract

A tip characterizer for atomic force microscopy (AFM) was developed based on the fabrication of multilayer thin films. Comb-shaped line and space (LS) and wedge-shaped knife-edge structures were fabricated on a GaAs substrate. GaAs∕InGaP superlattices were used to control the width of the structures precisely, and selective chemical etching was used to form sharp edges on the nanostructures. The minimum size of the LS structure was designed to be 10nm, and the radius of the knife edge was less than 5nm. These nanostructures were used as a well-defined tip characterizer to measure the shape of a tip on a cantilever from line profiles of AFM images.

Cantilever Tilt Causing Amplitude Related Convolution in Dynamic Mode Atomic Force Microscopy

“…15 Therefore, the dynamic convolution model is of special significance to precisely and quantitatively measure the sharp nanostructures and will be especially useful in CD measurements 16,17 and in the probe characterization. 7,18 For the critical dimension measurements in dynamic mode, the amplitude effect should be removed to get more accurate results. In the probe characterization, a perpendicular structure is generally used as the tip characterizer and a probe which can trigger amplitude effect such as what is shown in Fig.…”

“…Recently, the dimension of the tip characterizer has been greatly improved by the successful development of a new kind of tip characterizer specimen based on superlattice techniques. 7 However, the more practical and optimized characterization procedures in various AFM imaging modes are required with the related studies on the model's applicability, experimental optimization and error analysis. It should be noted that the conventional convolution model, one of the base for SPM quantitative analysis, was established based on contact mode, and has been directly referred in dynamic mode.…”

Tip characterizer for atomic force microscopy using singly suspended carbon nanotube

“…[1] Recently, comb-shaped lines and spaces (LS) with widths of 10 nm and wedge-shaped knife-edge structures (5 nm radius) composed of GaAs/InGaP super lattices have been successfully used as tip characterizers. [2] A reconstruction method of actual images using a characterized AFM tip shape has also been developed [3] in an effort to achieve international standardization of AFM measurements. [4] Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are the most promising material for further reduction in the size of the tip characterizer because of their nanometer diameters together with their mechanical strength and stability in air.…”

Development of Si/SiO₂ Multilayer Type AFM Tip Characterizers

“…Furthermore, with this method it was difficult to make high aspect ratio structures. Recently, a new tip characterizer with a 10-nm wide structure was developed using GaAs/InGaP superlattices [14]. L&S patterns in the 10 nm range and high aspect ratios were realized with this superlattice type characterizer.…”