Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno

Asml Netherlands B.v.

Anton Adriaan Bijnagte

Albert Dekker

Roelof Willem Herfst

Jan Jacobus Benjamin Biemond

Fransiscus Mathijs Jacobs

Hubert Marie Segers

Rudolf M Boon

Dirk-Jan Bijvoet

Lukas Kramer

Klara Maturova

Klára MaturovÁ

The present document relates to a probe chip for use in a scanning probe microscopy device for holding a probe mounted thereon. The probe chip includes a carrier element having a probe bearing side which is configured for bearing the probe to be extending therefrom as an integral or mounted part thereof. The carrier element further comprises a mounting side configured for mounting the probe chip onto a scan head of the scanning probe microscopy device, wherein the mounting side extends in a longitudinal and lateral direction of the carrier element to be substantially flat. The carrier element towards the probe bearing side thereof is truncated in the lateral direction on either side of a longitudinal axis through a center of the carrier element, such as to enable a rotation of the probe chip over a rotation angle around the longitudinal axis in use when the longitudinal axis is inclined at an inclination angle relative to a substrate surface to be scanned and when the probe is in a measurement position relative to the substrate surface.

Probe chip, scan head, scanning probe microscopy device and use of a probe chip

The present disclosure concerns probe cassettefor holding a probein storage to provide automated transfer of the probe to a probe mount of a scanning probe microscope. The probe cassette comprising a first vacuum chamber Cwith a volume V, and a second vacuum chamber Cwith a volume V, and a first and second vacuum channel, respectively fluidly connecting the first and second vacuum chamber to an outletfluidly connectable to an external vacuum, such that upon application of the external vacuum a mounting position of the probe relative to the cassette and a mounting position of the cassette relative to the sample stage is maintained. The probe cassette arranged to allow breaking a vacuum condition in the second chamber maintaining the mounting position of the probe before breaking a vacuum condition in the first chamber maintaining a mounting position of the probe cassette.

Probe cassette for holding a probe in storage for use in a scanning probe microscope

This document relates to a probe for use in a scanning probe microscopy device. The probe comprises a cantilever and a probe tip being located at a first end section of the cantilever. The cantilever is configured for bending in a Z-direction perpendicular to a surface of a substrate in use. The cantilever comprises a neck section and a paddle section, and the probe tip is located on the paddle section. The neck section has a width and height in cross section thereof, comprises a base part having a rectangular cross section. The cantilever at least across a length of the neck section comprises a ridge extending in a direction away from the base part. The base part and the ridge together define the width and height of the neck section, and have dimensions such that a vertical bending stiffness of the cantilever for bending in the Z-direction matches a lateral stiffness of the cantilever with respect to forces acting on the probe tip in a direction transverse to the Z-direction. The document further describes a manufacturing method.

Probe, method of manufacturing a probe and scanning probe microscopy system

A high-precision linear actuator is described that includes a first straight-guide mechanism that guides movements of an actuator element and a working device relative to an actuator housing. A pressing mechanism that, in a pressing-contact condition, presses the actuator frame and the actuator housing with a predetermined force against one another. A second straight-guide mechanism that guides movements of the actuator housing relative to the actuator frame between the pressing-contact condition and released-contact conditions in which the pressing mechanism presses the actuator frame and the actuator housing towards one another. The high-precision linear actuator provides a safety mechanism automatically reinstates negative consequences of unforeseen collisions in the working environment. In addition the high-precision linear actuator allows for a compact and light-weight design of the actuator element and the working device, which improves operational speed and effectivity of the linear actuator.

High-precision linear actuator

The invention is directed at a method of performing scanning probe microscopy on a substrate surface using a scanning probe microscopy system. A probe tip and substrate surface are moved relative to each other in one or more directions parallel to the scanning plane to position the probe tip to a scanning position on the substrate surface with the probe tip; a displacement is measured by an encoder of said probe tip in said one or more directions; and a fiducial pattern is provided fixed relative to the substrate surface, said fiducial pattern having a scannable structure that is scannable by said probe tip and said structure forming a grid of fiducial marks in said one or more dimensions; said grid dimensioned to allow for measuring placement deviations of the probe tip relative to the probe head by identifying one or more fiducial marks in the fiducial pattern.

System and method of performing scanning probe microscopy on a substrate surface

A high-precision scanning device () comprises a first linear scanner () for providing scanning movements along a first linear scanning axis (). The first linear scanner comprises a first base frame (), a first scanning frame (), two mutually parallel first piezoelectric bending plates (A,B), and two first hinge joints (A,B) having two first hinge axes (A,B), respectively. Under influence of synchronic piezoelectric operation of the two first piezoelectric bending plates, the first scanning frame is being synchronically moved relative to the first base frame along said first linear scanning axis. The scanning device is compact, especially nearby the working areas where the precise scanning movements have to be performed, so that the device can be operable in very tiny working areas.

High-precision scanning device

A lithographic apparatus includes a control unit arranged to perform a first position measurement of the patterning device, apply an asymmetric acceleration profile to the support supporting the patterning device, perform a second position measurement of the patterning device, determine a slip characteristic of the pattering device based on the two position measurements and the applied acceleration profile, and perform a scanning exposure of a substrate taking into account the slip characteristic of the patterning device.

Lithographic apparatus and exposure method

A lithographic projection apparatus includes a radiation system to supply a projection beam of radiation; a mask table provided with a mask holder to hold a mask; a substrate table provided with a substrate holder to hold a substrate; a projection system to image an irradiated portion of the mask onto a target portion of the substrate; and a preparatory station comprising an intermediate table on which a substrate can be positioned before transfer to the substrate table; the intermediate table including a major surface provided with a plurality of apertures, and gas bearing generator that generates a gas bearing between the major surface and a substrate located thereon.

Lithographic projection apparatus

A pre-aligner receives wafers from a wafer carrier or process track and performs preparatory steps such as centering of the wafer. The prepared wafer is transferred to the wafer table using a robot arm that is isolated from the pre-aligner and the wafer table. The robot arm couples to the pre-aligner to pick up the wafer, decouples, couples to the wafer table and deposits the wafer. Positional accuracy of the wafer is thereby maintained during the transfer.

Growing community of inventors

Tricht, Netherlands

Anton Adriaan Bijnagte