AVS 57th International Symposium & Exhibition
    Nanometer-scale Science and Technology Tuesday Sessions
       Session NS-TuP

Paper NS-TuP25
Nanoscale Roughness Analysis through System Evaluation by Atomic Force Microscopy

Tuesday, October 19, 2010, 6:00 pm, Room Southwest Exhibit Hall

Session: Nanometer-Scale Science and Technology Poster Session
Presenter: C.Y. Su, Instrument Technology Research Center, NRL, Taiwan, Republic of China
Authors: C.Y. Su, Instrument Technology Research Center, NRL, Taiwan, Republic of China
Y.H. Lin, Instrument Technology Research Center, NRL, Taiwan, Republic of China
S.S. Pai, Instrument Technology Research Center, NRL, Taiwan, Republic of China
P.L. Chen, Instrument Technology Research Center, NRL, Taiwan, Republic of China
N.N. Chu, Instrument Technology Research Center, NRL, Taiwan, Republic of China
C.C. Yang, Instrument Technology Research Center, NRL, Taiwan, Republic of China
C.C. Chen, Instrument Technology Research Center, NRL, Taiwan, Republic of China
M.H. Shiao, Instrument Technology Research Center, NRL, Taiwan, Republic of China
Correspondent: Click to Email
Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) has become an essential tool in various applications of nanotechnology. Although roughness inspection is one of the most important and most common measurement since scanning probe microscopes (SPMs) have been invented, there is lack of international comparison on this application and it is in the early stage of prototype testing up to now. By combining a high precise three-axis closed-loop feedback scanner stage with the AFM, the mapping capability of surface roughness distribution from the sample topography with the sub-angstrom resolution is achievable. In this study, a procedure has been designed to optimize AFM parameters such as inspection area size, target amplitude, drive frequency, set-point, scan rate, integral gain, proportional gain, look-ahead gain and so forth for optimized surface roughness inspection. System evaluation of the measurement uncertainty is compliant to ISO, Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement and ISO 5436-2:2001/Cor 2:2008, Geometrical Product Specifications (GPS) - Surface texture: Profile method; Measurement standards – Part 1: Material measures. Key factors such as repeatability, non-linearity, straightness, noise, probe deformation error, numerical error, system long-term stability and sample uniformity have been included for evaluation. By carefully control of probe deformation error, measurement uncertainty can be supressed effectively.