SGER: High-Resolution 3-D Surface Topography Measurement Using a Scanning Electron Microscope

本计画的研究目的是发展一种利用扫描电子显微镜进行高解析度三维表面形貌量测的新技术，并探讨其在奈米表征与奈米制造上的潜在应用。将传统的光学阴影莫尔技术的概念扩展到电子领域，发展出一种所谓的电子阴影莫尔技术。利用MEMS技术设计和制作了各种栅条和间距尺寸的光栅。这些光栅将被用来研究该技术的可行性，并确定光栅参数和测量分辨率之间的关系。将开发使用Carre算法的相移技术以提高测量分辨率。设计并制作了一个微型计算机控制的样品保持器和光栅扫描装置来实现相移技术。如果成功的话，这项技术不仅可以从扫描电子显微镜图像中提取更多关于样品表面的有用信息，用于纳米表征，而且还可以在双束聚焦离子束/扫描电子显微镜系统中实现真正的纳米纤维反馈控制。这将是一个新的工具，科学家和工程师可以用来帮助他们的发现和创新。该补助金将为研究生和本科生以及有兴趣获得研究经验的高中生提供研究培训。将特别努力为该项目招收女生和少数民族学生。还将根据研究活动的结果编写研究生课程的教材和学生项目。

The research objective of this project is to develop a novel technique for high-resolution 3-dimensional surface topography measurement using a scanning electron microscope and explore its potential applications in nanocharacterization and nanofabrication. The approach will be to extend the concept of the traditional optical shadow moire technique to the electron domain to develop a so-called electron shadow moire technique. Gratings with various bar and space sizes will be designed and fabricated using MEMS technology. These gratings will be used to investigate the feasibility of the technique and determine the relationship between the grating parameters and the measurement resolution. A phase shifting technique that uses the Carre algorithm will be developed to improve the measurement resolution. A miniature computer-controlled sample holder and grating scanning device will be designed and built to implement the phase shifting technique. Software for processing electron shadow moire images and reconstructing 3-dimensional surface topography will also be developed.If successful, this technique will not only allow more useful information about the sample surface to be extracted from scanning electron microscope images for nanocharacterization, but also make true feedback control of nanofabrication possible in a dual-beam focused ion beam/scanning electron microscope system. It will be a new tool that scientists and engineers can use to aid their discoveries and innovations. This grant will provide research training to graduate and undergraduate students as well as high school students who are interested in gaining research experience. Special efforts will be made to recruit female and minority students for the project. Course materials and student projects for a graduate course will also be developed based on the results from the research activities.