Costs may be avoided and yields improved by applying scanning probe microscopy to substrates in the midst of an integrated circuit fabrication process sequence. Scanning probe microscopy may be used to provide conductance data. Conductance data may relate to device characteristics that are normally not available until the conclusion of device manufacturing. The substrates may be selectively treated to ameliorate a condition revealed by the data. Some substrates may be selectively discarded based on the data to avoid the expense of further processing. A process maintenance operation may be selectively carried out based on the data.

A method and an apparatus for measuring an electrical property of a sample material are provided. In the method, an alternating voltage is applied to a piezoelectric ceramic so that a probe fixed on the piezoelectric ceramic vibrates above a surface of the sample material, a target contact potential difference between the probe and the sample material is measured, and a target amplitude of an induced alternating current generated due to the vibration of the probe above the surface of the sample material, a target work function of the surface of the sample material is determined according to the target contact potential difference and a determined work function of the probe, and a target charge density of the surface of the sample material is determined according to the target amplitude, the target contact potential difference, and a pre-stored target amplitude determination function for the induced alternating current.

A semiconductor metrology tool for analyzing a sample is disclosed. The semiconductor metrology tool includes a particle generation system, a local electrode, a particle capture device, a position detector, and a processor. The particle generation system is configured to remove a particle from a sample. The local electrode is configured to produce an attractive electric field and to direct the removed particle towards an aperture of the local electrode. The particle capture device is configured to produce a repulsive electric field around a region between the sample and the local electrode and to repel the removed particle towards the aperture. The position detector is configured to determine two-dimensional position coordinates of the removed particle and a flight time of the removed particle. The processor is configured to identify the removed particle based on the flight time.

A semiconductor metrology tool for analyzing a sample is disclosed. The semiconductor metrology tool includes a particle generation system, a local electrode, a particle capture device, a position detector, and a processor. The particle generation system is configured to remove a particle from a sample. The local electrode is configured to produce an attractive electric field and to direct the removed particle towards an aperture of the local electrode. The particle capture device is configured to produce a repulsive electric field around a region between the sample and the local electrode and to repel the removed particle towards the aperture. The position detector is configured to determine two-dimensional position coordinates of the removed particle and a flight time of the removed particle. The processor is configured to identify the removed particle based on the flight time.

A measurement system includes: a first laser device for outputting a pump light as a pulse laser in response to an input first signal; a second laser device for outputting a probe light as a pulse laser in response to an input second signal; a trigger generator and delay time controller for inputting the first signal and the second signal to the first laser and the second laser, repeatedly inputting the first signal and the second signal by switching a variable delay value which is a difference between a timing of inputting the first signal to the first laser and a timing of inputting the second signal to the second laser in a plurality of ways, and outputting a reference signal to a lock-in amplifier when switching the variable delay value; an auxiliary optical system for guiding the pump light and the probe light to sample; a cantilever having an probe tip disposed proximate to the sample; and a controller for applying a periodically varying voltage to the cantilever and outputting a change amount signal which is a voltage or a current corresponding to a change in the resonance frequency of the cantilever, wherein the lock-in amplifier measures the change amount signal based on reference signal.

A measurement system includes: a first laser device for outputting a pump light as a pulse laser in response to an input first signal; a second laser device for outputting a probe light as a pulse laser in response to an input second signal; a trigger generator and delay time controller for inputting the first signal and the second signal to the first laser and the second laser, repeatedly inputting the first signal and the second signal by switching a variable delay value which is a difference between a timing of inputting the first signal to the first laser and a timing of inputting the second signal to the second laser in a plurality of ways, and outputting a reference signal to a lock-in amplifier when switching the variable delay value; an auxiliary optical system for guiding the pump light and the probe light to sample; a cantilever having an probe tip disposed proximate to the sample; and a controller for applying a periodically varying voltage to the cantilever and outputting a change amount signal which is a voltage or a current corresponding to a change in the resonance frequency of the cantilever, wherein the lock-in amplifier measures the change amount signal based on reference signal.

A method of operation of a measurement system includes: generating a microwave excitation towards a sample; scanning the sample along a path at a first vertical position relative to the sample; capturing a first microwave response along the path at the first vertical position based on the microwave excitation; generating a first channel voltage based on the first microwave response; scanning the sample along the path at a second vertical position relative to the sample; capturing a second microwave response along the path at the second vertical position based on the microwave excitation; generating a second channel voltage based on the second microwave response; and determining a voltage difference between the first channel voltage based on the first vertical position and the second channel voltage based on the second vertical position for characterizing the sample.

A method of operation of a measurement system includes: generating a microwave excitation towards a sample; scanning the sample along a path at a first vertical position relative to the sample; capturing a first microwave response along the path at the first vertical position based on the microwave excitation; generating a first channel voltage based on the first microwave response; scanning the sample along the path at a second vertical position relative to the sample; capturing a second microwave response along the path at the second vertical position based on the microwave excitation; generating a second channel voltage based on the second microwave response; and determining a voltage difference between the first channel voltage based on the first vertical position and the second channel voltage based on the second vertical position for characterizing the sample.

Highly integrated cantilever-based probe employing apparatus configured for scanning-type quantum sensing and imaging of nitrogen-vacancy centers. Optionally, the apparatus may utilize an atomic force microscope hardware. Method for fabricating and operating the same. The as-fabricated cantilever-based probe for use with such apparatus is structured to operate as a microwave antenna and lends itself for various magnetic field imaging, electric field imaging, and thermal imaging with high detection sensitivity and nano-scale spatial resolution.

Highly integrated cantilever-based probe employing apparatus configured for scanning-type quantum sensing and imaging of nitrogen-vacancy centers. Optionally, the apparatus may utilize an atomic force microscope hardware. Method for fabricating and operating the same. The as-fabricated cantilever-based probe for use with such apparatus is structured to operate as a microwave antenna and lends itself for various magnetic field imaging, electric field imaging, and thermal imaging with high detection sensitivity and nano-scale spatial resolution.