A method and device for measuring dimension of a semiconductor structure are provided. A probe of an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) is controlled at first to move a first distance from a preset reference position to a top surface of a semiconductor structure to be measured in a direction perpendicular to the top surface of the semiconductor structure to be measured, then the probe is controlled to scan the surface of the semiconductor structure to be measured while keeping the first distance in a direction parallel to the top surface of the semiconductor structure to be measured, amplitudes of the probe at respective scanning points on the surface of the semiconductor structure to be measured are detected, and a Critical Dimension (CD) of the semiconductor structure to be measured is determined according to the amplitudes of the probe at respective scanning points on the surface of the semiconductor structure.

A method includes scanning a probe laterally across a surface so that the probe follows a scanning motion across the surface and steering a detection beam onto the probe via a steering mirror, the detection beam reflecting from the probe in the form of a return beam. The method also includes moving the steering mirror so that the detection beam follows a tracking motion which is synchronous with the scanning motion and the detection beam remains steered onto the probe by the steering mirror and using the return beam to obtain image measurements, each indicative of a measured height of a respective point on the surface. An associated height error measurement is obtained for each point on the surface, each measurement being indicative of a respective error in the measured height. The height error measurements are used to correct the image measurements so as to generate corrected image measurements.

The present application relates to an apparatus for a scanning probe microscope, said apparatus having: (a) at least one first measuring probe having at least one first cantilever, the free end of which has a first measuring tip; (b) at least one first reflective area arranged in the region of the free end of the at least one first cantilever and embodied to reflect at least two light beams in different directions; and (c) at least two first interferometers embodied to use the at least two light beams reflected by the at least one first reflective area to determine the position of the first measuring tip.

The present document relates to a scanning probe microscopy system and method for mapping nanostructures on the surface of a sample. The system comprises a sample support structure, a scan head including a probe comprising a cantilever and a probe tip, and an actuator for scanning the probe tip relative to the sample surface. The system also includes an optical source, and a sensor unit for obtaining a sensor signal indicative of a position of the probe tip. The sensor unit includes a partially reflecting element for reflecting a reference fraction and for transmitting a sensing fraction of the optical signal. It further includes directional optics for directing the sensing fraction as an optical beam towards the probe tip, and for receiving a reflected fraction thereof to provide a sensed signal. Moreover the sensor includes an interferometer for providing one or more output signals, and signal conveyance optics for conveying the sensed signal and the reference signal to the interferometer. The directional optics is configured for directing the sensing fraction such that at least a part of the sensing fraction is reflected by the probe tip such as to form the reflected fraction.

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.

The present invention relates to a device for operating at least one bending beam in at least one closed control loop, wherein the device has: (a) at least one first interface designed to receive at least one controlled variable of the at least one control loop; (b) at least one programmable logic circuit designed to process a control error of the at least one control loop using a bit depth greater than the bit depth of the controlled variable; and (c) at least one second interface designed to provide a manipulated variable of the at least one control loop.

An atomic force microscope is provided having a controller configured to store one or more positional parameters output by a sensor assembly when a light spot is located at a first preset position on the surface of the cantilever. The controller is further configured to operate an actuator assembly so as to induce movement of the spot away from the first preset position, to detect said movement of the first spot based on a change in the one or more positional parameters output by the sensor assembly, and to operate an optical assembly in response to the detected movement of the first spot to return the first spot to the first preset position.

An atomic-force-microscope-based apparatus and method including hardware and software, configured to collect, in a dynamic fashion, and analyze data representing mechanical properties of soft materials on a nanoscale, to map viscoelastic properties of a soft-material sample. The use of the apparatus as an addition to the existing atomic-force microscope device.

The present invention pertains to a surface analysis device (1) and provides a technology that can increase accuracy and quality of measurement and analysis even when a local deviation is generated in height information of a measurement result of a scanning probe microscope (SPM) (2), due to an atmospheric pressure change with respect to an airtight tank (10). The surface analysis device (1) is provided with: an airtight tank (10); a stage (6) that holds a sample (5) in the airtight tank (10); the SPM (2) that is fixed to a structure configuring the airtight tank (1) and that measures the surface of the sample (5); a sensor (4) that is disposed outside of the airtight tank (10) and that measures atmospheric pressure; and a computer system that analyzes the surface of the sample by using a first signal obtained through measurement by the SPM (2) and a second signal obtained through measurement by the sensor (4).

The present invention pertains to a surface analysis device (1) and provides a technology that can increase accuracy and quality of measurement and analysis even when a local deviation is generated in height information of a measurement result of a scanning probe microscope (SPM) (2), due to an atmospheric pressure change with respect to an airtight tank (10). The surface analysis device (1) is provided with: an airtight tank (10); a stage (6) that holds a sample (5) in the airtight tank (10); the SPM (2) that is fixed to a structure configuring the airtight tank (1) and that measures the surface of the sample (5); a sensor (4) that is disposed outside of the airtight tank (10) and that measures atmospheric pressure; and a computer system that analyzes the surface of the sample by using a first signal obtained through measurement by the SPM (2) and a second signal obtained through measurement by the sensor (4).