Imec

Interuniversitair Microelektronica Centrum (imec)

Pierre Eyben

Wilfried B Vandervorst

Ruping Cao

Andreas Schulze

The disclosure is related to an SSRM method for measuring the local resistivity and carrier concentration of a conductive sample. The method includes contacting the conductive sample at one side with an AFM probe and at another side with a contact electrode, modulating, at a modulation frequency, the force applied to maintain physical contact between the AFM probe and the sample while preserving the physical contact between the AFM probe and the sample, thereby modulating at the modulation frequency the spreading resistance of the sample; measuring the current flowing through the sample between the AFM probe and the contact electrode; and deriving from the measured current the modulated spreading resistance. Deriving the modulated spreading resistance includes measuring the spreading current using a current-to-voltage amplifier, converting the voltage signal into a resistance signal, and filtering out from the resistance signal, the resistance amplitude at the modulation frequency.

Method for determining local resistivity and carrier concentration using scanning spreading resistance measurement set-up

The present invention is related to a method and apparatus for performing Atomic Force Microscopy. In the method of the invention, a force profile is defined, and a sample is scanned by the AFM probe in such a way that the force between the sample and the probe is changed according to said predefined profile. The invention is equally related to an apparatus with which to perform said method.

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Leuven, Belgium

Pierre Eyben