SBIR Phase II: Improvement of Spatial Resolution in Scanning Microwave Microscopy

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This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)Phase II project focuses on the improvement of spatial resolution in microwave microscopy, reducing in particular the measurement sampling area over which sheet resistance and dielectric permittivity at 1 GHz - 20 GHz can be determined with numerical accuracy. A particular focus will be on proprietary semiconductor applications and on the imaging of dielectric properties. Modifications of the existing prototype as required for this goal will lead to additional applications in fields of economic and academic importance, including the non-contact measurement of the electric field dependence and the frequency dependence of the dielectric permittivity at microwave frequencies. Work at Neocera will include instrument modifications, test sample preparation, and a thorough analysis of the probe-sample interactions. Numerical simulations, semiconductor sample preparation, and comparison to an instrument based on a different feedback mechanism will be per-formed through a subcontract with the University of Maryland. The result of this Phase II SBIR will be an instrument developed for a particular (proprietary) semiconductor application, leading to a multi-million dollar market. In addition, the technology will be available for various research applications, with universities being potential customers.