Characterization of conductive probes for atomic force microscopy

Thomas Trenkler; Thomas Hantschel; Wilfried Vandervorst; Louis Hellemans; Wilhelm Kulisch; Egbert Oesterschulze; Philippe Niedermann; T. Sulzbach

doi:10.1117/12.341191

10 March 1999 Characterization of conductive probes for atomic force microscopy

Thomas Trenkler, Thomas Hantschel, Wilfried Vandervorst, Louis Hellemans, Wilhelm Kulisch, Egbert Oesterschulze, Philippe Niedermann, T. Sulzbach

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 3680, Design, Test, and Microfabrication of MEMS and MOEMS; (1999) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.341191
Event: Design, Test, and Microfabrication of MEMS/MOEMS, 1999, Paris, France

Abstract

The availability of very sharp, wear-proof, electrically conductive probes is one crucial issue for conductive AFM techniques such as SCM, SSRM and Nanopotentiometry. The purpose of this systematic study is to give an overview of the existing probes and to evaluate their performance for the electrical techniques with emphasis on applications on Si at high contact forces. The suitability of the characterized probes has been demonstrated by applying conductive AFM techniques to test structures and state-of- the-art semiconductor devices. Two classes of probes were examined geometrically and electrically: Si sensors with a conductive coating and integrated pyramidal tips made of metal or diamond. Structural information about the conductive materials was obtained by optical and electron microscopy as well as by AFM roughness measurements. Swift and non-destructive procedures to characterize the geometrical electrical properties of the probes prior to the actual AFm experiment have been developed. A number of analytical tools have been used to explain the observed electrical behavior of the tested probes.

Citation Download Citation

Thomas Trenkler, Thomas Hantschel, Wilfried Vandervorst, Louis Hellemans, Wilhelm Kulisch, Egbert Oesterschulze, Philippe Niedermann, and T. Sulzbach "Characterization of conductive probes for atomic force microscopy", Proc. SPIE 3680, Design, Test, and Microfabrication of MEMS and MOEMS, (10 March 1999); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.341191

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