基于扭转谐振模式3D-AFM的微结构侧壁形貌检测

针对半导体器件微结构侧壁关键尺寸检测需求,设计了一套三维原子力显微镜(3D-AFM)系统.该系统采用针尖末梢为喇叭口形的悬臂梁探针,以扭转谐振模式实现横向轻敲扫描.介绍了该3D-AFM系统的结构组成和工作原理,对系统的横向检测灵敏度进行了标定,获得了喇叭口针尖与样品侧壁横向接近过程中探针扭转振幅的变化曲线.利用该系统对栅格标样侧壁局部形貌进行了线扫描和面扫描,所得轮廓具有较好的重复性,且测量所得形貌特征与常规轻敲模式扫描结果一致,表明本文所述3D-AFM系统及工作模式能够用于微结构侧壁形貌的检测.     

AFM轻敲模式中微悬臂振动的研究

针对原子力显微镜AFM（Atomic torce microscope）在轻敲工作模式下微悬臂在谐振频率附近振动的问题，依据振动学理论和仿真分析的方法，建立了微悬臂的振动模型，仿真出了微悬臂前几阶的振动模态。得到了在保证振幅不变的情况下微悬臂各参数与其自由端偏转角的关系，指出了轻敲模式下减小AFM测量误差的方法。     

基于新型探针的双频原子力显微系统开发

传统原子力显微镜(AFM)在接触模式下工作时具有接触力较大、易损伤样品的缺点.本文通过对新型自感应音叉探针施加双频激励,使得AFM工作在轻敲模式下,减小了接触力和扫描过程中的侧向力影响,实现了样品表面力学特性和亚表面结构的表征.然后利用基于DSP的PI反馈控制模块,完成了线扫描实验,证明该双频原子力显微测量系统具有较好的测量能力.     

压膜阻尼对原子力显微镜振动特性的影响研究

原子力显微镜(Atomic Force Microscope, AFM)在轻敲模式下工作时,随着探针针尖与样品距离的逐渐减小,空气压膜阻尼的作用随之增大。为研究压膜阻尼对原子力显微镜振动系统的影响,分别使用无针尖探针和微球针尖探针进行扫频实验,并基于振动理论将该过程简化,得到了两种不同的振动模型的系统刚度。在考虑压膜阻尼作用影响后,将微球针尖振动系统模型进一步简化为一维振子模型,并对压膜阻尼的影响进行讨论。实验表明空气压膜阻尼模型对于探针样品在微尺度下的作用过程是准确合理的。该结果对原子力显微镜轻敲模式研究具有重要意义。     

水化膜对原子力显微镜扫描图像的影响

原子力显微镜(AFM)有接触和轻敲两种工作方式,可以在气相和液相下工作.在液相工作状态下,浸没于水中的探针和样品表面会形成一层水化膜.在探针和样品表面形成的水化膜是否会对扫描图像产生影响以及产生何种影响是一个值得研究的问题.本文用原子力显微镜对1μm标准校正光栅在空气和水两种媒质中进行了图像扫描,扫描分别采用接触和轻敲两种工作方式.扫描图像显示,在液相工作环境中,水化膜在探针和样品表面的形成将严重影响轻敲工作方式所形成的图像,而接触方式的扫描图像基本不受影响.     

恒撞击力轻敲模式AFM的设计及研究

在轻敲模式AFM中,利用DMT模型与光探针点衍射理论结合来检测微探针的振动,并对振动信号进行频率域分析,通过检测和控制信号中高次谐波分量使针尖-样品间撞击力保持恒定。测试实验表明,该系统具有结构简单、可测不同材料的样品和对软质材料样品损伤小的优点,其测量重复性可达1%,分辩力可达1~5nm。     

基于石英音叉探针的原子力显微镜测头开发

基于石英音叉探针开发了一种自感应原子力显微镜(AFM)测头。该测头通过自身输出电信号检测悬臂振幅变化,无需外部光学检测部件,易于集成。针对测头设计了微弱电流提取及寄生电容补偿电路。利用商业化锁相放大器实现了对测头幅度信号的获取。在此基础上对测头在调幅模式下的力-距离曲线和分辨力进行了测试。利用锁相放大器内置的PID模块实现了调幅模式下对样品表面形貌的测量。实验证明,该测头灵敏度为0.624 mV/nm,分辨力优于2 nm。     

NMMO工艺三元绿色复合薄膜的制备和表征

以纤维素、木质素和淀粉为原料,以N-甲基吗啉-N-氧化物(NMMO)为溶剂,制备三元天然高分子绿色复合膜。利用傅立叶红外光谱(FT-IR)和X射线衍射(XRD)测试了三元复合薄膜的结构,采用电子显微镜(SEM)和轻敲模式原子力显微镜(AFM)观察了该模型薄膜的表面形貌,并测定了薄膜力学性能。实验结果表明,三种天然高分子形成了均相的复合薄膜结构,表现出较好的力学性能和耐水性能。     

CD-AFM扫描图像的三维拼接方法

基于原子力显微镜(atomic force microscope,AFM)的关键尺寸(critical dimension,CD)测量技术可有效测量MEMS结构的侧壁形貌和线宽,针对CD-AFM的关键共性技术之一提出了一种三维图像拼接方法,旨在把结构正表面图像和侧壁图像拼接成为一幅完整的三维图像.通过旋转样品的方式,利用AFM扫描结构形貌,分别得到其正表面和侧壁的扫描图像.在两幅图像的重叠区域进行图像预处理和快速图像相关匹配,可准确获取图像匹配点.随后,对侧壁扫描图像进行逐列翻转、切割、旋转和拼接等操作,最终可得到结构的三维形貌图像.采用C++语言编写的算法对AFM获得的实际扫描图像进行了三维拼接,拼缝边缘曲线相似程度达到97.62%,结果表明该算法具有很好的准确度.     

小型自感应原子力显微镜测头及其标定

设计了一种小型轻敲式自感应原子力显微镜(AFM)测头以实现微/纳尺度下的几何量测量.轻敲式测头采用石英音叉式自感应探针,通过自身的电信号输出检测悬臂梁的振幅变化,无需额外的光学传感器.设计了测头的微弱自感应信号放大电路,并补偿音叉寄生电容对测量的干扰.机械结构紧凑便于将测头固定于光学显微镜下观察测量情况,同时屏蔽外界的干扰.利用显微激光多普勒测振系统,标定了测头机电耦合系数为145 nm/V,由此可以计算测头工作频率下悬臂梁的振幅.搭建了以纳米测量机(NMM)为高精度定位平台的测试系统,利用该系统对测头进行进/退针实验,标定测头的灵敏度为0.47 nm/mV,NMM内置的干涉仪保证标定直接溯源至"米"定义.实验表明测头的非线性误差小于1%,测量范围在百纳米级.     

Numerical simulation of nano scanning in intermittent-contact mode AFM under Q control

We investigate nano scanning in tapping mode atomic force microscopy (AFM) under quality (Q) control via numerical simulations performed in SIMULINK. We focus on the simulation of the whole scan process rather than the simulation of cantilever dynamics and the force interactions between the probe tip and the surface alone, as in most of the earlier numerical studies. This enables us to quantify the scan performance under Q control for different scan settings. Using the numerical simulations, we first investigate the effect of the elastic modulus of the sample (relative to the substrate surface) and probe stiffness on the scan results. Our numerical simulations show that scanning in an attractive regime using soft cantilevers with high effective Q factor (Q(eff)) results in a better image quality. We then demonstrate the trade-off in setting Q(eff) of the probe in Q control: low values of Q(eff) cause an increase in tapping forces while higher ones limit the maximum achievable scan speed due to the slow response of the cantilever to the rapid changes in surface profile. Finally, we show that it is possible to achieve higher scan speeds without causing an increase in the tapping forces using adaptive Q control (AQC), in which the Q factor of the probe is changed instantaneously depending on the magnitude of the error signal in oscillation amplitude. The scan performance of AQC is quantitatively compared to that of standard Q control using iso-error curves obtained from numerical simulations first and then the results are validated through scan experiments performed using a physical set-up.     

Controlled AFM detachments and movement of nanoparticles: gold clusters on HOPG at different temperatures

The effect of temperature on the onset of movement of gold nanoclusters (diameter 27 nm) deposited on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) has been studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques. Using the AFM with amplitude modulation (tapping mode AFM) we have stimulated and controlled the movement of individual clusters. We show how, at room temperature, controlled detachments and smooth movements can be obtained for clusters having dimensions comparable to or smaller than the tip radius. Displacement is practically visible in real time and it can be started and stopped easily by adjusting only one parameter, the tip amplitude oscillation. Analysing the energy dissipation signal at the onset of nanocluster sliding we evaluated a detachment threshold energy as a function of temperature in the range 300-413 K. We also analysed single cluster thermal induced displacement and combining this delicate procedure with AFM forced movement behaviour we conclude that detachment threshold energy is directly related to the activation energy of nanocluster diffusion and it scales linearly with temperature as expected for a single-particle thermally activated process.     

原子力声显微镜的原理及应用

原子力声显微镜结合了超声检测技术的三维成像能力与原子力显微镜的纳米尺度成像的近场显微技术。它在商用的原子力显微镜设备的基础上加以压电超声传感器产生声激励,并使用锁相放大器对数据进行收集分析,既可得到三维的纳米级的清晰形貌图,又能通过建模分析样品表面的接触刚度及样品的弹性模量。目前,原子力显微镜被广泛应用于材料领域,用于检测样品的机械性能,比如样品的接触刚度、薄膜高分子材料的弹性模量,同时还运用于医学生物领域,用于观察细胞的超微结构及其表面和亚表面的弹性模量等。     

基于AFM的刻线边缘粗糙度幅值与空间频率的表征方法

针对使用原子力显微镜测量纳米尺度半导体刻线边缘粗糙度的参数表征问题进行了研究．在对线边缘粗糙度的定义与现有测量方法进行分析的基础上，采用图像处理技术分析硅刻线的原子力显微镜测量图像的线边缘粗糙度特征，提出了线边缘粗糙度的幅值与空间频率的表征方法．其中幅值参数能够在一定意义上反映刻线边缘形貌的均匀性，而采用小波多分辨分析与功率谱密度函数（PSD）频谱分析相结合的空间频率表征方法，则有效地分析了侧墙轮廓边缘复杂的空间信息．实际测量结果表明，样本线边缘粗糙度的主要能量集中在低频区域，其主导空间频率为～0．04nm^-1，在低频部分约500nm特征波长上有最大的线边缘粗糙度分布．     

Analytical Solutions of the Frequency Shifts of Several Modes in Dynamic Force Microscopy Subjected to AC Electrostatic Force

Kelvin probe force microscopy is currently used to measure contact potential difference and topography of sample on a nanometer scale, based on the behaviors of the first two resonant frequencies. In this study, an analytical method to determine the frequency shifts of several modes in dynamic force microscopy subjected to AC electrostatic force is proposed. The numerical results determined by the proposed method are close to the experimental ones. If the amplitude and the frequency of the AC voltage are suitable, a large frequency shift and a linear relation between the frequency shift and the tip-sample distance will be obtained. In other words, properly controlling the AC voltage will increase the accuracy of measuring the sample's topography. Moreover, it is found that even without an optimized compensation dc voltage, increasing the first frequency shift and decreasing the tip radius and the half open angle of the tip can increase the accuracy of measuring a step height. Finally, it is found that when the oscillation amplitude and the tip-sample distance are constant, increasing the negative dc voltage will increase the accuracy of the measurement of contact potential by using the frequency shift. In addition, an assessment of the conventional perturbation method is presented and the two methods are compared.     

Noncontact electrochemical imaging with combined scanning electrochemical atomic force microscopy

Combined scanning electrochemical atomic force microscopy (SECM-AFM) is a recently introduced scanned probe microscopy technique where the probe, which consists of a tip electrode and integrated cantilever, is capable of functioning as both a force sensor, for topographical imaging, and an ultramicroelectrode for electrochemical imaging. To extend the capabilities of the technique, two strategies for noncontact amperometric imaging-in conjunction with contact mode topographical imaging-have been developed for the investigation of solid-liquid interfaces. First, SECM-AFM can be used to image an area of the surface of interest, in contact mode, to deduce the topography. The feedback loop of the AFM is then disengaged and the stepper motor employed to retract the tip a specified distance from the sample, to record a current image over the same area, but with the tip held in a fixed x-y plane above the surface. Second, Lift Mode can be employed, where a line scan of topographical AFM data is first acquired in contact mode, and the line is then rescanned to record SECM current data, with the tip maintained at a constant distance from the target interface, effectively following the contours of the surface. Both approaches are exemplified with SECM feedback and substrate generation-tip collection measurements, with a 10-microm-diameter Pt disk UME serving as a model substrate. The approaches described allow electrochemical images, acquired with the tip above the surface, to be closely correlated with the underlying topography, recorded with the tip in intimate contact with the surface.