Abstract: Method of tuning parameter settings for performing acoustic scanning probe microscopy for subsurface imaging, scanning probe microscopy system, and computer program product. This document relates to a method of tuning a scanning probe microscopy system. The method comprises: a) applying an acoustic vibration signal comprising a first frequency and a second frequency to a sample; b) at a first position of the probe tip, sweeping the first frequency across a first frequency range, and obtaining a first signal; c) at a second position of the probe tip, sweeping the first frequency across at least said first frequency range, and obtaining a second signal; d) analyzing the first and second signals to obtain a difference characteristic dependent on the first frequency. The first and second position are selected such that a subsurface structure of the sample at the first and second position is different.

Abstract: The surface of the atomic force microscopy (AFM) cantilever is defined by a main cantilever body and an island. The island is partly separated from the main body by a separating space between facing edges of the main body and the island. At least one bridge connects the island to the main body, along a line around which the island is able to rotate through torsion of the at least one bridge. The island has a probe tip located on the island at a position offset from said line and a reflection area. In an AFM a light source directs light to the reflection area and a light spot position detector detects a displacement of a hght spot formed from light reflected by the reflection area, for measuring an effect of forces exerted on the probe tip.

Abstract: This document is directed at a method of manufacturing a semiconductor element, the method comprising manipulating a surface of a substrate using an atomic force microscope, the atomic force microscope including a probe, the probe including a cantilever and a probe tip, the substrate including at least one or more device features embedded underneath the surface. The method comprises: imaging the embedded device features, and identifying that a position of the probe tip of the atomic force microscope is aligned with the feature; and displacing the probe tip transverse to the surface for exerting a stress for performing the step of surface manipulation, as for example contact holes. Imaging is performed by applying and obtaining an acoustic signal to and from the substrate via the probe tip, including a first and a second signal component at different frequencies. The imaging and surface manipulation are performed using said same probe and probe tip.

Abstract: This document describes a method of determining an overlay error during manufacturing of a multilayer semiconductor device. Manufacturing of the semiconductor device comprises forming a stack of material layers comprising depositing of at least two subsequent patterned layers of semiconductor material, the patterned layers comprising a first patterned layer having a first marker element and a second patterned layer having a second marker element. The determining of the overlay error comprises determining relative positions of the first and second marker element in relation to each other, such as to determine the overlay error between the first patterned layer and the second patterned layer. In addition an imaging step is performed on at least one of said first and second patterned layer, for determining relative positions of the respective first or second marker element and a pattern feature of a device pattern comprised by said respective first and second patterned layer.

Abstract: This document relates to a method of performing surface measurements on a surface of a sample using a scanning probe microscopy system. The system comprises a sample support structure for supporting a sample, a sensor head including a probe comprising a cantilever and a probe tip arranged on the cantilever, and an actuator for scanning the probe tip relative to the substrate surface for mapping of the nanostructures. The method comprising the steps of: vibrating the cantilever using an actuator and moving the probe relative to the substrate surface for performing said scanning. The probe is held at a distance to the substrate surface such as to allow contact at a plurality of intermittent contact moments between the probe tip and the surface during said vibrating of the cantilever. The steps of vibrating of the cantilever and moving of the probe are performed concurrently.

Abstract: An alignment system (100) and method for positioning and/or keeping a first object (1) at a controlled distanced (D1) with respect to a second object (2). An object stage (11) is configured to hold a surface (1a) of the first object (1) at a distance (D1) over a surface (2a) of the second object (2). A sensor device (31) comprising a probe tip (31a) is connected at a predetermined probe level distance (Dp) relative to the surface (1a) of the first object (1). The probe tip (31a) is configured to perform an atomic force measurement (AFM) of a force (F1) exerted via the probe tip (31a) on a surface (2a) of the second object (2). A controller (80) is configured to control an object stage actuator (21) as a function of the probe level distance (Dp) and the measured force (F1) to maintain the controlled distanced (D1).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of performing subsurface imaging of embedded structures in a substrate underneath a substrate surface, the method comprising the steps of applying, using a signal application actuator, an acoustic input signal to the substrate, detecting, using a vibration sensor, a return signal from the substrate and analyzing the return signal for obtaining information on the embedded structures, for enabling imaging thereof wherein the step of applying the acoustic input signal comprises applying a discontinuous signal of an acoustic signal component to the substrate, the acoustic signal component having a frequency above 1 gigahertz, such that the return signal includes a scattered fraction of the discontinuous signal scattered from the embedded structures. The invention further relates to a system.

Abstract: A method to perform sub-surface detection of nanostructures in a sample, uses an atomic force microscopy system that comprising a scan head having a probe with a cantilever and a probe tip arranged on the cantilever. The method comprises: moving the probe tip and the sample relative to each other in one or more directions parallel to the surface for scanning of the surface with the probe tip; and monitoring motion of the probe tip relative to the scan head with a tip position detector during said scanning for obtaining an output signal. During said scanning acoustic vibrations are induced in the probe tip by applying a least a first and a second acoustic input signal respectively comprising a first and a second signal component at mutually different frequencies above IGHz, differing by less than IGHz to the probe, and analyzing the output signal for mapping at least subsurface nanostructures below the surface of the sample.

Abstract: The present document relates to a scanning probe microscopy system and method for mapping nanostructures on the surface of a sample. The system comprises a sample support structure, a scan head including a probe comprising a cantilever and a probe tip, and an actuator for scanning the probe tip relative to the sample surface. The system also includes an optical source, and a sensor unit for obtaining a sensor signal indicative of a position of the probe tip. The sensor unit includes a partially reflecting element for reflecting a reference fraction and for transmitting a sensing fraction of the optical signal. It further includes directional optics for directing the sensing fraction as an optical beam towards the probe tip, and for receiving a reflected fraction thereof to provide a sensed signal. Moreover the sensor includes an interferometer for providing one or more output signals, and signal conveyance optics for conveying the sensed signal and the reference signal to the interferometer.

Abstract: The invention is directed at a method of positioning a carrier on a flat surface using an positioning member, wherein the carrier comprises an upper part and a base which are connected to each other such as to be arranged remote from each other, wherein the positioning member is arranged between the base and the upper part such that the base is located at an opposite side of the positioning member with respect to the upper part of the carrier, the upper part resting on the positioning member prior to placing of the carrier onto the flat surface, wherein the upper part comprises three engagement elements, and wherein the positioning member comprises a support surface for receiving the three engagement elements of the upper part, said support surface including a plurality of sockets forming a kinematic mount for said three engagement elements, wherein the base comprises three landing elements, each landing element being associated with a respective one of the three engagement elements, and the method comprising

Abstract: A method and system for calibrating force (F12) in a dynamic mode atomic force microscope (AFM). An AFM tip (11) is disposed on a first cantilever (12). The first cantilever (12) is actuated to oscillate the AFM tip (11) in a dynamic mode. A first sensor (16) is configured to measure a first parameter (A1) of the oscillating AFM tip (11). A second sensor (26) is configured to measure a second parameter (A2) of a resilient element (22). The oscillating AFM tip (11) is moved in proximity to the resilient element (22) while measuring the first parameter (A1) of the AFM tip (11) and the second parameter (A2) of the resilient element (22). A force (F12) between the oscillating AFM tip (11) and the resilient element (22) is calculated based on the measured second parameter (A2) and a calibrated force constant (K2) of the resilient element (22).

Abstract: The document relates to a method of performing subsurface imaging of embedded structures underneath a substrate surface, using an atomic force microscopy system. The system comprises a probe with a probe tip, and a sensor for sensing a position of the probe tip. The method comprises the steps of: positioning the probe tip relative to the substrate: applying a first acoustic input signal to the substrate; applying a second acoustic input signal to the substrate; detecting an output signal from the substrate in response to the first and second acoustic input signal; and analyzing the output signal. The first acoustic input signal comprises a first signal component and a second signal component, the first signal component comprising a frequency below 250 megahertz and the second signal component either including a frequency below 2.5 megahertz or a frequency such as to provide a difference frequency of at most 2.

Abstract: The present document relates to a anatomic force microscope comprising a probe comprising a probe tip configured to sense a sample disposed proximate to the probe tip, a detector to detect a deflection of the probe tip, an actuator coupled to the probe and configured to move the probe in a sense state with the sample at a predetermined force set point and a vibrator in communication with the sample to provide a vibration to the sample, the vibration comprising a modulation frequency, wherein the acoustic vibrator is configured to provide the vibration in a modulation period after an initial sense period without modulation and wherein the probe is moved during or after said modulation period to a successive sample position over said sample while moving the probe in a non-contact state.

Abstract: The present document relates to a method of determining an overlay or alignment error between a first and a second device layer of a multilayer semiconductor device (26) using an atomic force microscopy system (20). The system comprises a scan head (22) including a probe (28). The probe includes a cantilever and a probe tip (30). The method comprises moving the probe tip and the semiconductor device relative to each other for scanning of the surface of the semiconductor device with the probe tip, wherein the probe tip is intermittently or continuously in contact with the surface during scanning. During scanning a signal application actuator (70) applies an acoustic input signal to the substrate, and motion of the probe tip is monitored with a tip position detector for obtaining an output signal, to be analyzed for mapping subsurface structures in different device layers. The signal application actuator includes a shear wave actuator to apply a shear acoustic wave (90) in the substrate.

Abstract: An atomic force microscopy device arranged for determining sub-surface structures in a sample comprises a scan head with a probe including a flexible carrier and a probe tip arranged on the flexible carrier. Therein an actuator applies an acoustic input signal to the probe and a tip position detector measures a motion of the probe tip relative to the scan head during scanning, and provides an output signal indicative of said motion, to be received and analyzed by a controller. At least an end portion of the probe tip tapers in a direction away from said flexible carrier towards an end of the probe tip. The end portion has a largest cross-sectional area Amax at a distance Dend from said end, the square root of the largest cross-sectional area Amax is at least 100 nm and the distance Dend is in the range of 0.2 to 2 the value of said square root.

Abstract: The present document relates to a method of detecting structures on or below the surface of a sample using a probe including a cantilever and a probe tip, the cantilever being characterized by one ore more normal modes of resonance including a fundamental resonance frequency, the method including: applying, using a transducer, a vibrational input signal to the sample; sensing, while the probe tip is in contact with the surface, an output signal indicative of motion of the probe tip due to vibrations at the surface induced by the vibrational input signal; wherein the vibrational input signal comprises at least a first signal component having a frequency within a range of 10 to 100 megahertz; and wherein the vibrational input signal is amplitude modulated using at least a second signal component having a modulation frequency below 5 megahertz. The present document further relates to a scanning probe microscopy method.

Abstract: The invention is directed at a method of positioning a carrier on a flat surface using an positioning member, wherein the carrier comprises an upper part and a base which are connected to each other such as to be arranged remote from each other, wherein the positioning member is arranged between the base and the upper part such that the base is located at an opposite side of the positioning member with respect to the upper part of the carrier, the upper part resting on the positioning member prior to placing of the carrier onto the flat surface, wherein the upper part comprises three engagement elements, and wherein the positioning member comprises a support surface for receiving the three engagement elements of the upper part, said support surface including a plurality of sockets forming a kinematic mount for said three engagement elements, wherein the base comprises three landing elements, each landing element being associated with a respective one of the three engagement elements, and the method comprising

Abstract: A system for thermal nanolithography comprises a cantilever (13) with a nanoscale tip (14) in proximity to a substrate surface (22). A probe light beam (L1) is reflected off the cantilever (13) and the reflected beam (R1) is measured to determine an atomic force interaction (F) between the tip (14) and the substrate surface (22). The tip (14) is heated to cause a heat-induced change at a localized part (22a) of the substrate surface (22) in proximity to the tip (14) by a heat flow (H) from the tip (14) to said localized part (22a). As described herein, the tip (14) is heated by absorption (A2) of a second, heat-inducing light beam (L2) that is distinct from the probe light beam (L1), in particular having a distinct wavelength (?2) or other properties.

Abstract: The invention is directed at a positioning arm for positioning of a scan head of a surface scanning measurement device—such as a scanning probe microscopy device—relative to a surface. The positioning arm comprises a base at a first end thereof for mounting the arm with the base to a static reference structure. The positioning arm further comprises a first and a second arm member extending from the base, the second arm member extending parallel to the first arm member. The arm comprises a bridge member at a second end thereof, connecting the first and the second arm members. The first and the second arm member are respectively connected to each one of said base and said bridge member by means of a hingeable connection.

Abstract: This document relates to a method and system for modifying a sample surface using a scanning probe microscopy system comprising a probe having a cantilever and a probe tip. The method comprises vibrating the probe; controlling a distance between the surface and the probe for tapping of the probe tip on the surface; and adjusting a tapping force of the probe tip on the surface during said tapping, so as to selectively modify the surface during the tapping. The probe is vibrated by employing a multi-frequency excitation comprising at least two frequencies for simultaneous imaging and modifying of the surface.