Wear comparison of critical dimension-atomic force microscopy tips

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Metrology

Background:

• Nanoscale wear impacts atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements across various applications, including process control and nanoelectronics.
• Reducing AFM tip wear is crucial for maintaining measurement accuracy and reliability.
• Limited research exists on tip wear specifically for critical dimension AFM (CD-AFM), despite its direct effect on dimensional measurements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the wear performance of electron beam deposited (EBD) CD-AFM tips.
• To compare the wear rate and tip lifetime of EBD tips against conventional silicon-based CD-AFM tips.
• To understand the fundamental aspects of CD-AFM tip wear to enhance measurement accuracy.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a continuous scanning strategy to evaluate tip wear.
• Quantified wear rates and determined tip lifetimes for EBD CD-AFM tips.
• Performed comparative analysis with silicon-based CD-AFM tips.

Main Results:

• Electron beam deposited CD-AFM tips demonstrated a tip lifetime improvement of up to five times compared to silicon tips.
• Wear rates for EBD tips were reduced by more than 17 times.
• These findings indicate significantly enhanced durability and reduced degradation of EBD tips.

Conclusions:

• Electron beam deposited tips offer a substantial improvement in wear resistance for CD-AFM applications.
• Reduced wear rates translate to decreased measurement variability and potentially lower operational costs.
• The study provides essential insights into CD-AFM tip wear, paving the way for more robust nanoscale metrology.