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Imec

Interuniversitair Microelektronica Centrum (imec)

Fei Comapny

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, K.u. Leuven Research & Development

Thomas Hantschel

Wilfried B Vandervorst

Anne S Verhulst

Cedric Huyghebaert

Kristof Paredis

Hugo Bender

Clement Porret

Antti Kanniainen

Thijs Boehme

Menelaos Tsigkourakos

Kai Arstila

Libor Strakos

Han Han

According to one aspect, a reconditioning wafer can include a carrier substrate that supports at least one array of regularly spaced protrusions configured to form indentations in a support surface of a wafer holding stage. The protrusions within the same array can have substantially the same shape and dimensions, thereby enabling a more reliable reconditioning process compared to prior art solutions. The protrusions may have the form of pyramids or pillars or other similar shapes with at least the tip of the protrusions formed of a material suitable to make the indentations. The reconditioning wafer can be obtainable by a molding technique wherein an array of molds can be created in a mold substrate. The molds can be filled with an indentation material such as diamond, and can be bonded to the carrier substrate. The mold substrate can be removed by thinning and wet etching.

Wafer configured to recondition a support surface of a wafer holding stage

Methods and apparatus determine offcut angle of a crystalline sample using electron channeling patterns (ECPs), wherein backscattered electron intensity exhibits angular variation dependent on crystal orientation. A zone axis normal to a given crystal plane follows a circle as the sample is azimuthally rotated. On an ECP image presented with tilt angles as axes, the radius of the circle is the offcut angle of the sample. Large offcut angles are determined by a tilt technique that brings the zone axis into the ECP field of view. ECPs are produced with a scanning electron beam and a monolithic backscattered electron detector; or alternatively with a stationary electron beam and a pixelated electron backscatter diffraction detector. Applications include strain engineering, process monitoring, detecting spatial variations, and incoming wafer inspection. Methods are 40&#xd7; faster than X-ray diffraction. 0.01-0.1&#xb0; accuracy enables semiconductor applications.

Offcut angle determination using electron channeling patterns

The disclosure is related to a method for performing SPM measurements, wherein a sample is attached to a cantilever and scanned across a tip. The tip is one of several tips present on a substrate comprising at least two different types of tips on its surface, thereby enabling performance of multiple SPM measurements requiring a different type of tip, without replacing the cantilever. The at least two different types of tips are different in terms of their material, in terms of their shape or size, and/or in terms of the presence or the type of active or passive components mounted on or incorporated in the substrate, and associated to tips of one or more of the different types. The disclosure is equally related to a substrate comprising a plurality of tips suitable for use in the method of the disclosure.

Method and tip substrate for scanning probe microscopy

Example embodiments relate to methods for producing a probe suitable for scanning probe microscopy. One embodiment includes a method for producing a probe tip suitable for scanning probe microscopy. The method includes producing a probe tip body that includes at least an outer layer of a probe material. The method also includes, during the production of the probe tip body or after the production, forming a mask layer on the outer layer of probe material. Further, the method includes subjecting the probe tip body to a plasma etch procedure. The mask layer acts as an etch mask for the plasma etch procedure. The plasma etch procedure and the etch mask are configured to produce one or more tip portions formed of the probe material. The one or more tip portions are smaller and more pointed than the probe tip body prior to the plasma etch procedure.

Method for producing a probe suitable for scanning probe microscopy

The disclosed technology relates generally to probe configurations, and more particularly to probe configurations and methods of making probe configurations that have a diamond body and a diamond layer covering at least an apex region of the diamond body. In one aspect, a method of fabricating a probe configuration includes forming a probe tip. Forming the probe tip includes providing a substrate and forming a recessed mold into the substrate on a first side of the substrate, wherein the recessed mold is shaped to form a probe body having an apex region. Forming the probe tip additionally includes forming a first diamond layer on the substrate on the first side, wherein forming the first diamond layer includes at least partially filling the recessed mold with the first diamond layer such that a probe body having an apex region is formed in the recessed mold. Forming the probe tip additionally includes patterning to remove at least partially the first diamond layer which surrounds the probe body, removing a substrate material surrounding at least the apex region of the probe body, and forming a second diamond layer covering at least the apex region of the probe body. The method additionally includes attaching the probe tip to a first end of a cantilever and attaching the second end of the cantilever to a holder.

Probe configuration and method of fabrication thereof

A tunnel Field Effect Transistor is provided comprising an interface between a source and a channel, the source side of this interface being a layer of a first crystalline semiconductor material being substantially uniformly doped with a metal to the solubility level of the metal in the first crystalline material and the channel side of this interface being a layer of this first crystalline semiconductor material doped with this metal, the concentration decreasing towards the channel.

Tunnel field-effect transistor and methods for manufacturing thereof

An atomic force microscopy probe configuration and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. In one aspect, the probe configuration includes a cantilever, and a planar tip attached to the cantilever. The cantilever only partially overlaps the planar tip, and extends along a longitudinal direction thereof. The planar tip is of a two-dimensional geometry having at least one corner remote from the cantilever, which corner during use contacts a surface to be scanned.

Method for cost-efficient manufacturing diamond tips for ultra-high resolution electrical measurements and devices obtained thereof

A full metal probe and a method of making the metal probe for electrical atomic force microscopy. In one embodiment, the method comprises manufacturing the full metal probe using two lithography steps. The step of etching thin membranes is dropped or eliminated to substantially reduce the processing time. Thus, topside processing is sufficient. The probe and tip can be peeled off from the wafer using a metallization procedure.

Probe tip and method of manufacturing probe tips by peel-off

An atomic force microscopy (AFM) probe and a method of manufacturing mounted probes for AFM applications. The method implements an optimized soldering procedure for mounting a probe to a holder chip. In one embodiment, a metallisation system of Ti:W&plus;Ni&plus;Au is applied with a SnBi58 solder paste in combination with a hotplate. The mechanical connection between the probe and holder chip is preferably rigid. The soldered probe is highly conductive and the probe-holder chip assembly shows clear resonance peaks in tapping mode AFM.

Probe and method of manufacturing mounted AFM probes

A probe tip configuration, being part of a probe (FIG. ) for use in a scanning proximity microscope, is disclosed, comprising a cantilever beam ( ) and a probe tip. Said tip comprises a first portion of a tip ( ) and at least one second portion of a tip ( ). Said first portion of a tip is connected to said cantilever beam whereas said second portion of a tip is placed on said first portion of a tip. Cantilever beam, first portion of a tip and second portion(s) of a tip can be composed of different materials and can be isolated each from another which makes an easy adjustment of the maximum penetration depth of the tip possible without limiting the resolution and makes it also possible to detect more than one signal of a sample at the same time using one cantilever beam. Methods of making the probe tip configuration are further described.

Probe tip configuration and a method of fabrication thereof

A probe tip configuration, being part of a probe (FIG.,) for use in a scanning proximity microscope, is disclosed, comprising a cantilever beam (,) and a probe tip. Said tip comprises a first portion of a tip (,) and at least one second portion of a tip (,). Said first portion of a tip is connected to said cantilever beam whereas said second portion of a tip is placed on said first portion of a tip. Cantilever beam, first portion of a tip and second portion(s) of a tip can be composed of different materials and can be isolated each from another which makes an easy adjustement of the maximum penetration depth of the tip possible without limiting the resolution and makes it also possible to detect more than one signal of a sample at the same time using one cantilever beam.

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Houtvenne, Belgium

Thomas Hantschel