Abstract: The planarity of the dielectric layer over a processing layer is increased by adjustments made to a mask generated for patterning the processing layer. Active circuitry lines are generated for the mask. Also, a fill pattern is generated for the mask. The fill pattern is placed in areas of the mask not filled by the active circuitry lines. The active circuitry lines are combined with the fill pattern to produce a final pattern for the mask. In one embodiment, the fill pattern is generated by first over-sizing the active circuitry lines to form a first pattern. The first pattern is inverted to produce a negative of the first pattern. The negative of the first pattern serves as a marker layer. In addition, a dummy fill pattern is generated. An intersection of the marker layer and the dummy fill pattern is performed to produce an unsized fill pattern.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a microscope probe tip comprises the steps of depositing a first material over a substrate, such as silicon oxide over a silicon substrate using chemical vapor deposition. The first material is patterned to define at least one structural protrusion. During this patterning, the first material is etched back. Then a second material, such as silicon oxide, is deposited over the protrusion using an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) process, which grows a sloped surface to form the microscope probe tip. In another aspect of the invention, two different resolution Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) probe tips are grown. Then, the cantilevers are coupled together to provide an AFM with two probe tips having different resolutions.