Development of the interferometrical scanning probe microscope

Abstract

Many scanning probe microscopes (SPMs) are used as image acquisition tools in such industries as microelectronics, micromechanics, lithography and biotechnology. Conventional SPMs use piezoelectric actuators in order to move either the sample or the probe. The voltage across the piezos is taken as a position indicator. However, it is known that piezos suffer from hysteresis, and from time- and temperature-dependent creep. A solution to this problem is provided by accurate, traceable measurement of the cantilever position. An exact dimensional measurement can only take place via direct comparison with a well-known reference. The traceability of the SPM can be achieved using an interferometer, traceable to the 633 nm wavelength of the He-Ne laser. For accurate measurements the position of the cantilever must be measured in addition to the torsion and bending. This article shows the basic SPM principle as well as the addition of a cantilever position detection system. This system has been realized with a special interferometer with a quadrant diode to detect the cantilever torsion and bending. The measuring beam is focused on the cantilever backside using a lens. The reflected laser beam is split and evaluated; one part of the beam is used for the interferometrical position measurement with the other part focused onto a quadrant diode. Due to the structure of the interferometrical SPM, it can be installed in many different positioning systems with large measuring ranges, including a nanopositioning and nanomeasuring machine (NPM machine), developed at the Institute of Process Measurement and Sensor Technology of the Technische Universitaet Ilmenau.