SBIR Phase I: Micromachined Four Point Probes for Electrical Characterization at the Nano-Scale

这个小企业创新研究第一阶段项目将展示一个最先进的支持系统的技术和商业可行性，用于测量纳米级微电子应用的薄膜和纳米结构中的薄片电阻。提出的微机械四点探针（FPP）克服了其他技术的分辨率限制。该团队的目标是开发一种FPP，其电极宽度为1微米，电极间距为1微米，用于非破坏性测量的超低弹簧常数，并且能够扩展到多探头以获得更高的吞吐量。该公司利用AFM探针微加工的经验和强大的行业联系。在这个建议中，关键的工程和应用挑战将被解决。6掩模微加工工艺将用于批量生产具有可预测和可重复性能的探针。纳米技术是一个非常有前途的新兴领域，美国政府正在积极投资。纳米尺度器件和结构的测量在科学和工业上都具有重要意义。提出的工具将促进基础研究，通过提供一种廉价和简单操作的电学表征工具，使观察纳米尺度上无法很好理解的电现象成为可能。短长度尺度产生了独特的电学性质，这是用现有方法无法观察到的。所提出的系统通过推进纳米技术的研究和帮助更好地理解纳米尺度上的电现象，在教育和科学方面提供了很多好处。FPP填补了集成电路和纳米技术依赖于亚微米显微镜的关键需求，因为它为用户提供了一个优越的测量系统，以帮助研究人员研究新的特性。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will demonstrate the technical and commercial viability of a state-of-the-art enabling system for measuring sheet resistance in thin films and nanostructures for microelectronics applications at the nanoscale. The proposed micromachined four-point probe (FPP) overcomes the resolution limitations of other techniques. The team's goal is to develop a FPP with electrode widths 1 micron, electrode spacing 1 micron, ultra-low spring constant for non-destructive measurements, and the ability to scale up to multiprobes for higher throughput. The company leverages experience in AFM probe microfabrication and strong industry contacts. In this proposal key engineering and application challenges will be addressed. A 6-mask microfabrication process will be used to batch manufacture probes with predictable and repeatable performance. Nanotechnology is a very promising emerging field and the US Government is actively investing in it. Measurements in nanometer scale devices and structures are of both scientific and industrial importance. The proposed tool will facilitate basic research by enabling the observation of electrical phenomena that are not well understood at the nanometer scale by providing an inexpensive and simple to operate tool for electrical characterization. The short length scales give rise to unique electrical properties, which cannot be observed using existing methods. The proposed system offers much in terms of educational and scientific benefit by advancing the study of nanotechnology and by helping in better understanding electrical phenomena at the nanoscale. The FPP fills a critical need in integrated circuits and nanotechnology that rely on sub-micron microscopy, as it provides the user with a superior measurement system to aid researchers in studying new properties.