AFM add-on for SEM and FIB

Electron microscopies are a driving force in the nanotechnological revolution that we find ourselves in today. Atomic force microscopy along with scanning tunneling microscopy is another enabling technology in the growing field of nanotechnology. These two worlds, although highly complimentary, have generally been separate and apart. For the first time ever, Nanonics Imaging Ltd. in its drive for integrated microscopic solutions has now been able to fully and transparently integrate these two worlds.

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Simultaneous and Independent SPM/SEM Imaging
Transparent integration with any SEM or FIB with a sufficiently large sample chamber
Normal Force Sensing: Contact, Non-Contact, and Intermittent Contact Modes in SPM

High resolution Cathodoluminescence measurement

Complimentary Techniques of SEM and AFM

The Scanning Electron Microscope has difficulty obtaining information on a variety of samples. One such situation is the case of a trench in a semiconductor wafer in which a SEM cannot view the bottom or the sidewall of the trench structure. Using the unique AFM capabilities of the MultiView 400™ The operator of a SEM or FIB machine can ask, on line, questions about high aspect ratio structures (eg. side wall angles and the surface structure of these sidewall in a variety of important devices with vias and other structures.

SEM image of a Nanonics AFM Probe in contact with sample

Imaging a deep trench such as the one opposite is impossible with standard silicon AFM tips. The Nanonics deep trench probes together with the large scan range of the 3D FlatScan ™ makes these images possible for the first time.

10 x 10 micron AFM image of a 10 micron deep/2 micron wide trench (Z-range 10 micron)

The bottom of a deep trench

Nanonics deep trench probes make it possible to form images from the bottom of a deep trench of up to 1.5mm.

1 x 1 micron AFM image of the bottom of the deep trench (Z-range 100 nm)

Side wall image

Only the Nanonics 3D FlatScan ™ is able to scan in the X-Z plane to image features on the side of a deep trench

5 x 5 micron X-Z scan of the sidewall of the deep trench (Y-range 150 nm)

Combined AFM FIB and AFM SEM

AFM SEM FIB

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is a moving force in the nanotechnological revolution. Focused ion beam microscopes (FIB) have also become potent in nanotechnology and their combination with SEM have shown the power of such on-line combinations. Nanonics Imaging introduces a transparent integration in SEM/FIB of another enabling imaging & sensing technology, Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM). This unique integration is accomplished without effecting any detectors, injectors, analyzers or obscuring the sample stage of such twin beam systems. The transparent combination is accopmplished so that the probe does not abscure the election/ion beam axis and also sits at the eucentric point. This permites the SPM to rotate into position when either the electron or ion beam is in place for standard normal operation relative to the sample surface. Such a Triple Beam^TM combination is a disruptive technology affecting the potential of both electron, ion and scanned probe applications.

AFM SEM FIB Integration Protocols

Nanonics AFM integration with SEM and FIB offers unique protocols and applications:

UltraHigh resolution Z imaging unavailable in SEM or FIB.
3D functional SPM imaging with on-line FIB
New directions in Material Contrast With FIB Slicing
Multiprobe SPM Imaging and manipulation
Unique AFM capabilities of Deep Trench Profiling and Side Wall ImagingSuper-resolution optical imaging inside SEM/FIM such as cathodoluminescence

Product Design

Configuration Options

Applications

AFM-SEM Comparison

On-line Scanned Probe Microscopy Transparently Integrated with Twin SEM/FIB Systems

There are several technology challenges to overcome to obtain a transparent SPM integration within the limited space of a combined electron/Ion beam system without perturbing any Detectors or Nanomanipulators that can be incorporated in such systems.

A complex of Nanonics innovations available with the MultiView SPM series allow for electron & ion optical friendly SPM integrations and with the probe tip at the eucentric point and rotatable for on-line FIB or SEM imaging.


Online AFM/SEM/FIB	Flexible geometry around the tuning fork probe	Exposed AFM probe

The following innovations which have been developed for the pioneering multiprobe SPM were used to perform such online AFM/SEM/FIB Integration:

Nanonics Innovations for Electron & Ion Integrations	Standard SPM Technology Limitations for AFM Integration with SEM/FIB

Non-obscuring UltraFlat probe and sample scanning stages.	Obscuring scanning stages

Transparent NanoToolKit^TM probes	Obscured field of view with Si Cantilevered probes

Tuning Fork Normal Force sensing mode	Space constraints of optical feedback