Full Carbon AFM Tips overcome silicon based tip technology strong limitations and show better behaviour than CNT tips for AFM metrology
nanotools, a leading provider of carbon based nanotechnology solutions, and CEA-Leti, a leading global research center to creating and commercializing innovation in micro- and nanotechnologies, have achieved, as a first milestone of their joint development agreement, a breakthrough in AFM-3D metrology using new full carbon AFM tips (“carbon nanotips”).
The new AFM3D tips are made of bulk amorphous, diamond-like carbon (DLC), which has a hardness (Youngs modulus) of 8 times better than silicon. Applying nanotool´s electron-beam-processing (EBD), a nanometer accuracy in shape and dimension is achieved. The AFM tips can be freely designed in shape, length, diameter and orientation – unachievable with carbon nanotubes (CNT) for example.
Conventional silicon based AFM tip technology, in contrast, cannot respond to the increasing requierements of the semiconductor developing and manufacturing industry: current feature sizes to be measured by AFM are around 40-50 nm and, according to the ITRS roadmap, will be down to 22 nm in 2015, so AFM tips have to be significantly smaller. State of the art AFM tip manufacturing uses isotropic plasma etching of silicon; this results in limitations in too large tip diameters, limited design choices and fast resolution degradation over tip lifetime.
nanotools has now developed a unique new tip design (patent pending), which allows for constant high resolution over entire tip lifetime, i.e. the new carbon-nano-tips maintain their initial sharp edge independent of tip wear. The new design also allows for large lateral reach capability, smaller vertical edge height and significantly lower tip wear.
With its hybrid metrology project, using this new full carbon tips, CEA-Leti has developed a way to reduce measurement uncertainty in the sub-28 nm nodes and puts CEA-Leti in a unique position of being able to help both equipment companies and chipmakers. The projects research findings were presented at the SPIE Advanced Lithography Conference this march in San Jose, USA, showing hybrid metrology using 3D AFM as an interesting alternative for the future of measuring critial dimensions in the high-volume manufacturing semiconductor industry.
About CEA-Leti
CEA is a French research and technology organisation, with activities in four main areas: energy, information technologies, healthcare technologies and defence and security. Within CEA, the Laboratory for Electronics & Information Technology (CEA-Leti) works with companies in order to increase their competitiveness through technological innovation and transfers. CEA-Leti is focused on micro and nanotechnologies and their applications, from wireless devices and systems, to biology and healthcare or photonics. Nanoelectronics and microsystems (MEMS) are at the core of its activities. As a major player in MINATEC campus, CEA-Leti operates 8,000-m² state-of-the-art clean rooms, on 24/7 mode, on 200mm and 300mm wafer standards. With 1,200 employees, CEA-Leti trains more than 190 Ph.D. students and hosts 200 assignees from partner companies. Strongly committed to the creation of value for the industry, CEA-Leti puts a strong emphasis on intellectual property and owns more than 1,700 patent families.
For more information, visit www.leti.fr.
About nanotools
nanotools is the leading provider for carbon based nanotechnology solutions. Based on its electron beam induced processing (EBD) technique, nanotools designs, manufactures and sells nanosized precision parts. This includes AFM tips, microscope parts and electron sources among other nanotechnology projects. A fully automated prodcution process ensures high quality level, high volume manufacturing and cost efficiency. Being the first ISO certified AFM probe manufacturer, nanotools supplies the semiconductor industry as well as leading research facilities for more than 15 years at the highest possible quality standards. For more information, please visit www.nanotools.com.
The nanotools name and logo are registered trademarks of nanotools GmbH.
Contacts:
CEA-Leti
Dr. Johann Foucher
+ 33 438 784 918
johann.foucher@cea.fr
nanotools
Sebastian Schade
+49 89 121 138 0
sebastian.schade@nanotools.com
