SBIR Phase I: New Flexible-Tip AFM Mode for High Aspect-Ratio Feature Metrology

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)项目将展示一种新的AFM成像模式的可行性，该模式利用柔性尖端(包括碳纳米管尖端)的横向弯曲和横向振荡作为优势，而不是试图处理横向尖端弯曲作为劣势。灵活的TIP AFM模式将使半导体行业社区能够访问和成像高纵横比特征的侧壁和深度。为实现新的成像模式而设计的TIPS将使客户能够使用碳纳米管对高纵横比沟槽、接触孔和通孔进行成像，而不会出现碳纳米管尖端与现有AFM一起使用时出现的侧壁粘连问题。将研究非接触和接触模式操作，以及测量和成像特征底部、顶部和拐角所需的针尖表征，这是计量应用和垂直操作所需的。新的AFM成像模式利用了现有的、获得专利的碳纳米管生长工艺，该工艺目前正被用于在AFM尖端直接制造碳纳米管，供半导体工业制造商使用。在商业上，引入灵活的尖端扫描模式创新有可能将碳纳米管作为AFM尖端的用途扩展到半导体行业以外。生物、医学、材料科学、法医学等领域的原子力显微镜用户对三维结构成像的需求越来越大。用于在纳米级对具有挑战性的半导体特征进行成像的柔性针尖技术也可用于对更广泛的AFM用户群体感兴趣的特征进行成像。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project will demonstrate the feasibility of a new AFM imaging mode that exploits lateral bending and lateral oscillation of flexible tips, including carbon nanotube tips, as an advantage rather than trying to deal with lateral tip flexure as a disadvantage. The flexible tip AFM mode will enable the semiconductor industry community to access and image both sidewalls and depths of high aspect features. Tips designed to implement the new imaging mode will enable customers to use carbon nanotubes to image high aspect ratio trenches, contact holes and vias without the sidewall sticking problem that occurs when carbon nanotube tips are used with existing AFMs. Both non contact and contact mode operation will be investigated as well as tip characterization, needed for metrology applications and vertical operation, needed to measure and image feature bottoms, tops and corners. The new AFM imaging mode leverages existing, patented carbon nanotube growth process which are now being used to fabricate carbon nanotubes directly on the apexes of AFM tips for use by semiconductor industry manufacturers.Commercially, introduction of a flexible tip scanning mode innovation has the potential to expand the usefulness of carbon nanotubes as AFM tips beyond the semiconductor industry. AFM users in biology, medicine, materials science, forensics and other fields have increasing needs to image three dimensional structures. The same flexible tip technology used to image challenging semiconductor features at the nm scale can also be used to image features of interest to this broader community of AFM users.