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.

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.

Disclosed is an atomic force microscopy system includes a laser source configured to generate an optical probe beam containing light of different spectral light components at different optical wavelengths, a dispersive optical device positioned to receive the optical probe beam and configured to disperse the optical probe beam into different dispersed light beams that are at different optical wavelengths and are spatially separated from one another, a cantilever array including a plurality of cantilevers structured to detect a sample and configured to deflect the different dispersed light beams by moving in position based on an interaction with the sample to produce multiple deflected output beams at different output optical wavelengths from the cantilevers, and a plurality of photodetectors to receive the multiple deflected output beams of different wavelengths from the cantilevers, respectively.

Disclosed is an atomic force microscopy system includes a laser source configured to generate an optical probe beam containing light of different spectral light components at different optical wavelengths, a dispersive optical device positioned to receive the optical probe beam and configured to disperse the optical probe beam into different dispersed light beams that are at different optical wavelengths and are spatially separated from one another, a cantilever array including a plurality of cantilevers structured to detect a sample and configured to deflect the different dispersed light beams by moving in position based on an interaction with the sample to produce multiple deflected output beams at different output optical wavelengths from the cantilevers, and a plurality of photodetectors to receive the multiple deflected output beams of different wavelengths from the cantilevers, respectively.

A multi-functional scanning probe microscopy nanoprobe may include a cantilever, a tapered structure formed on a surface of the cantilever from a first material, and a nanopillar formed on an apex of the tapered structure from a second material. One of the first and second materials may exhibit ferromagnetism and the other may have greater electrical conductivity. A method of simultaneous multi-mode operation during scanning probe microscopy may include scanning a sample with the nanoprobe in contact with the sample to produce a current measurement indicative of an electric current flowing through the sample and a height measurement indicative of a topography of the sample and, thereafter, scanning the sample with the nanoprobe oscillating about a lift height derived from the height measurement to produce a deflection measurement (e.g. phase shift) indicative of a magnetic force between the sample and the nanoprobe.

A multi-functional scanning probe microscopy nanoprobe may include a cantilever, a tapered structure formed on a surface of the cantilever from a first material, and a nanopillar formed on an apex of the tapered structure from a second material. One of the first and second materials may exhibit ferromagnetism and the other may have greater electrical conductivity. A method of simultaneous multi-mode operation during scanning probe microscopy may include scanning a sample with the nanoprobe in contact with the sample to produce a current measurement indicative of an electric current flowing through the sample and a height measurement indicative of a topography of the sample and, thereafter, scanning the sample with the nanoprobe oscillating about a lift height derived from the height measurement to produce a deflection measurement (e.g. phase shift) indicative of a magnetic force between the sample and the nanoprobe.

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.

An illustrative method disclosed herein includes measuring at least one electrical-related parameter of a doped semiconductor material by simultaneously irradiating at least a portion of an upper surface of the doped semiconductor material, urging a conductive tip of a cantilever beam probe into conductive contact with the upper surface of the irradiated portion of the doped semiconductor material, and generating an electrical current that flows through the doped semiconductor material, through a measurement device that is operatively coupled to the cantilever beam probe and through the cantilever beam probe, wherein the measurement device measures the at least one electrical-related parameter of the doped semiconductor material.

An atomic force microscope equipped with an optical measurement device is disclosed. An atomic force microscope equipped with an optical measurement device which acquires characteristics of a surface of a measurement target by moving a probe along the surface of the measurement target while scanning the measurement target on an XY plane using an XY scanner for supporting the measurement target, includes: an optical measurement device including a lighting unit configured to allow light to enter the surface of the measurement target, and a detection unit configured to detect light reflected by the surface of the measurement target, the optical measurement device being configured to acquire the characteristics of the surface of the measurement target by the scanning by the XY scanner; and a control device configured to control an operation of the atomic force microscope and an operation of the optical measurement device.