Seiko Instruments Inc

Hitachi High-tech Science Corporation

Sii Nanotechnology Inc.

Takehiro Yamaoka

Kazutoshi Watanabe

Yoshiharu Shirakawabe

Kazunori Ando

Hiroshi Takahashi

Masafumi Watanabe

Yoshitomo Nakagawa

Nobuhiro Shimizu

Yoshiteru Shikakura

Masaki Tsuchihashi

A method includes: removing at least a part of an oxide formed on a surface of the sample by relatively scanning the surface of the sample in X and Y directions parallel to the surface while bringing a probe into contact with the surface of the sample; detecting a signal by bringing the probe into contact with the surface of the sample from which at least a part of the oxide is removed at a predetermined detection position in the X direction or the Y direction while a bias voltage is applied to the sample; calculating a spreading resistance value based on the signal; and retracting the probe to keep the probe relatively away from the surface in a Z direction perpendicular to the surface while relatively moving the probe to a next detection position to start scanning the sample from the next detection position.

Method for measuring spreading resistance and spreading resistance microscope

A scanning probe is microscope has a cantilever having a probe at a disal end thereof and an oscillator for generating a resonance signal near a resonance of the cantilever. A vibrating device receives the resonance signal as a driving signal for vibrating the cantilever. A variable gain amplifier adjusts a gain of displacement signal corresponding to displacement of the vibrating cantilever so as to satisfy the equation G=(A/A)*Gto control a quality factor value of the cantilever resonance to an optimal quality factor value, where G represents a gain value of the variable gain amplifer, A represents a preselected oscillation amplitude of the oscillator, Arepresents an initial oscillation amplitude of the oscillator, and Grepresents a gain value of the variable gain amplifier when the initial oscillation amplitude of the oscillator is A.

Scanning probe microscope and operation method

In the first operation, the cantilever is oscillated at a frequency which is at opposite sides of a frequency band having a half value of an oscillation frequency f and amplitude A on a dependent curve (Q-curve). The cantilever oscillating frequency is far from an oscillation frequency (near a resonance point) where the cantilever is slow to damp, which enables the cantilever to quickly damp in accordance with a variation of a transient oscillation frequency after the probe comes into contact with the specimen, and allows the probe to follow the uneven surface state of the specimen.

Method of operating scanning probe microscope

A correlation sample of scanning probe microscope enable to detect correctly each force performing as a standard without influence of irregular data of surface of the sample. Photo-resist film is applied on surface of a silicon substrate, and the resist mask is patterned. Hollow portions having vertical wall face are formed at the silicon substrate by carrying out anisotropic etching using the resist mask for etching mask. After that, metal is deposited from upper side of resist mask by deposition method, the metal upper than the resist mask by lift off process is removed, and a correlation sample in which the metal is buried in the hollow portions of the silicon substrate is formed. Surface of the sample can be flattened by coating DLC film on surface of the correlation sample.

Correlation sample for scanning probe microscope and method of processing the correlation sample

Apparatus for modifying a patterned film, composed of an ion source for producing an ion beam which is focused and caused to impinge upon a sample to microscopically machine a small region upon the surface of the sample; scanning electrodes and a scanning control cirucit for scanning the focused ion beam; a detector that detects the secondary charged particles emanating from the sample in response to the irradiation; and a display device for displaying the pattern formed upon the sample according to the output from the detector. The apparatus further includes a nozzle for spraying etching gas against only a certain portion of the pattern when the focused ion beam is caused to fall upon the certain portion of the pattern, the gas being activated by the ion beam and capable of etching the material of the film upon which the pattern is formed. The focused ion beam that irradiates and scans the sample is not permitted to move from one spot to a neighboring spot until a given period of time elapses. Thus, a desired portion of the patterned film is rapidly and cleanly removed while minimizing the amount of the etching gas admitted into the apparatus.

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Chiba, Japan

Takehiro Yamaoka