High-resolution Metrology Research Articles

Three-dimensional visualization of large-area, nanoscale topography measurements

High-resolution metrology is a critical area of development for nanoscale manufacturing, especially as it affects production throughput and fabrication quality. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is one of the most popular tools for nanometrology, and high-resolution AFM often requires a significant time commitment and produces datasets of several million points. It is therefore critical for the development of data processing techniques to keep pace with the requirements of analyzing this type of data, and for these techniques to be portable as miniaturization in AFM is becoming more common. This work presents a data fitting algorithm designed for reducing the parameters of large-area data sets which utilizes well-established spline fitting techniques. In this paper we show that basis-spline fitting can be used to accurately represent large AFM data sets, including data sets with noisy data and sharp features, while achieving at least 90% parameter reduction in all test cases.

Inline Bondwave Monitoring for Direct Bonding, Process Optimization and Impact on Post-Bond Distortion

Direct wafer bonding is essential in semiconductor manufacturing, with bondwave propagation dynamics influencing the overall bond quality. The main factor impacting bondwave velocity dynamics are substrate rigidity, fluid viscosity and adhesion energy between the two surfaces. The latter, which depends on substrates properties and process parameters, is key and should be controlled and monitored for fusion bonding applications. The use of an inline infrared (IR) monitoring within an automated fusion bonding equipment, EVG®850LT, facilitates real-time defect detection, root cause analysis, and bond re-workability. The equipment, which features a sealed bonding chamber equipped with an IR camera and a reflective chuck, together with a plasma chamber for pre-processing enables the assessment of various process conditions. Post-bond distortions are then evaluated using high-resolution metrology. Bondwave monitoring use-cases, a detailed analysis of bondwave speed impact on bonded stack distortion and the influence of diverse process parameters on bondwave propagation are presented or discussed in the current paper.

High resolution metrology of autoionizing states through Raman interferences

Metrology of electron wavepackets is often conducted with the technique of photoelectron interferometry. However, the ultrashort light pulses employed in this method place a limit on the energy resolution. Here, weadvance ultrafast photoelectron interferometry access both high temporal and spectral resolution. The key to our approach lies in stimulating Raman interferences with a probe pulse and while monitoring the modification of the autoionizing electron yield in a separate delayed detection step. As a proof of the principle, we demonstrated this technique to obtain the components of an autoionizing nf′ wavepacket between the spin-orbit split ionization thresholds in argon. We extracted the amplitudes and phases from the interferogram and compared the experimental results with second-order perturbation theory calculations. This high resolution probing and metrology of electron dynamics opens the path for study of molecular wavepackets.

Self-Injection Locked Silica External Cavity Narrow Linewidth Laser

A silica-based external cavity narrow linewidth laser is fabricated and experimentally demonstrated based on a commercial silica platform. An add-drop microring resonator and a 2×2 directional coupler in the silica chip form a wavelength-dependent and self-injection-locked external cavity. The linewidth-suppressing effect of the external cavity is theoretically calculated based on the chirp reduction theory, which shows that a long external cavity length at the resonant wavelength can be used to suppress the noise of a free-running laser. In the self-injection locked state, the measured intrinsic linewidth of the fabricated external cavity laser is 27 Hz, which is greatly reduced compared to the 49.7-kHz linewidth of the free-running state. The frequency stability is also measured to be improved by an order of magnitude from 4.52 × 10 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">−8</sup> to 9.07 × 10 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">−10</sup> at 1 s averaging time. The proposed narrow-linewidth laser shows the potential for massive production and can be used in various applications such as integrated microwave photonics, LIDAR, high-resolution metrology, and satellite communications.

An extended laser cavity centered at 780 nm for high-resolution laser spectroscopy applications

Laser diodes (LDs) working in free mode present different types of effects such as shift and broadening of the spectral peak, determined by external factors such as temperature, electric current or mechanical vibrations, which are undesirable when required in applications such as high resolution laser spectroscopy, metrology or laser cooling. To reduce the width of the spectral emission peak of a laser, different configurations or optical setups are used, among which one of the most effective is to extend the optical resonator of the LD and use optical feedback, either with the help of a partially reflective mirror or with a diffraction grating. In this work, we present the design, construction, and characterization of a compact extended-cavity diode laser (ECDL) in Littrow configuration. The ECDL was machined on an aluminum block using computerized numerical control. It operates at a wavelength of 780.24 nm with a maximum output power of 35 mW. The results showed a spectral linewidth of 340 kHz using the self-heterodyne technique and a frequency stability of 0.47 MHz when the cavity was stabilized with an atomic reference.

Active Stabilization of Terahertz Semiconductor Dual‐Comb Laser Sources Employing a Phase Locking Technique

AbstractDual‐comb sources with equally spaced and low phase noise frequency lines are of great importance for high resolution spectroscopy and metrology. In the terahertz frequency range, electrically pumped semiconductor quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) are suitable candidates for frequency comb and dual‐comb operation. Although free running terahertz QCLs can be operated as frequency combs and dual‐comb sources, the phase noise originated from the carrier frequency and repetition rate instabilities are relatively high, which hinders the high precision applications. The locking techniques that have been used for a single laser comb can be, in principle, applied to a dual‐comb laser source. However, the complete locking of dual‐comb lines considerably complicates the implementation of such a system. Here, a method is proposed to stabilize a terahertz QCL dual‐comb source by phase locking one dual‐comb line. Although only one dual‐comb line is locked, it is shown that the phase noise of other dual‐comb lines close to the phase locked line is significantly reduced. Finally, it is demonstrated that the terahertz QCL comb without a control of the repetition rate can produce pulsed‐type waveforms. The demonstrated approach provides a convenient method to actively stabilize terahertz dual‐comb laser sources, which can be further utilized for fast gas sensing and spectroscopy.

Resonant photocurrent from a single quantum emitter in tungsten diselenide

Single quantum emitters (SQEs) are the basic building blocks for quantum optics and quantum information technology. Strain-induced defects in monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have been shown to be a promising platform for the generation of SQEs. In particular, achieving optically active and electrically controlled quantum emitters make these materials attractive for applications ranging from quantum communication and optoelectronics to high resolution metrology. Here, we report the spectral photoresponse of monolayer WSe2 upon strain, where we observe a connection between single-photon emission and photocurrent (PC) generation in a p-n device. A strong antibunching in second-order correlation from this localized emitter unambiguously demonstrates the single-photon nature of the emission, whereas the PC is highly dominated by the absorption at such a localized state, showing an exponential dependence with the applied electric field. Furthermore, we can resolve narrow PC peaks with 1.0 meV spectral width.

Stable generation of cylindrical vector beams with an all-fiber laser using polarization-maintaining and ring-core fibers.

An all-fiber laser using polarization-maintaining and ring-core fibers that are capable of automatically generating stable TE01 and TM01 modes is proposed and demonstrated experimentally. Two vector-mode coupling long-period fiber gratings (LPFGs) fabricated by a high-frequency CO2 laser are used in the fiber laser to realize efficient coupling between HE11 mode and TE01/TM01 mode. The polarization dependence of the LPFGs is simulated using the coupled-mode theory and verified by experiments. A ring-core fiber is employed to support the stable propagation of TE01 and TM01 modes. By carefully aligning the polarization direction of the input light, the mode coupling ratios of both LPFGs exceed 15 dB. The mode purities of TE01 and TM01 modes are 92.4% and 97.3%, respectively. Owing to the all-polarization-maintaining structure, the laser output is highly stable under environmental disturbance. This laser can be used as a stable cylindrical vector beam source for a wide range of applications, including surface plasmon excitation, optical tweezers, high-resolution metrology and so on.

Stochastic analysis of surface metrology

The design and evaluation of the expected performance of optical systems require sophisticated and reliable information about the surface topography for planned optical elements before they are fabricated. Modern x-ray source facilities are reliant upon the availability of optics with unprecedented quality (surface slope accuracy &lt;0.1 μrad). The problem is especially complex in the case of x-ray optics, particularly for the X-ray Surveyor under development and other missions. The high angular resolution and throughput of future x-ray space observatories requires hundreds of square meters of high-quality optics. The uniqueness of the optics and limited number of proficient vendors makes the fabrication extremely time consuming and expensive, mostly due to the limitations in accuracy and measurement rate of metrology used in fabrication. We discuss improvements in metrology efficacy via comprehensive statistical analysis of a compact volume of metrology data. The data are considered stochastic, and a statistical model called invertible time-invariant linear filter (InTILF) is developed now for two-dimensional (2-D) surface profiles to provide compact description of the 2-D data in addition to one-dimensional data treated so far. The InTILF model captures stochastic patterns in the data and can be used as a quality metric and feedback to polishing processes, avoiding high-resolution metrology measurements over the entire optical surface. The modeling, implemented in our BeatMark™ software, allows simulating metrology data for optics made by the same vendor and technology. The data are vital for reliable specification for optical fabrication, to be exactly adequate for the required system performance.

Unidirectional single-frequency operation of a continuous-wave Alexandrite ring laser with wavelength tunability.

High resolution spectroscopy, metrology and quantum technologies (e.g. trapping and cooling) require precision laser sources with narrow linewidth and wavelength tunability. The widespread use of these lasers will be promoted if they are cost-effective, compact and efficient. Alexandrite lasers with a broad tuning band pumped efficiently by low-cost red diodes are a potential candidate, but full performance as a precision light source has not been fully achieved. We present in this work the first continuous-wave (CW) and single-frequency operation of a unidirectional diode-end-pumped Alexandrite ring laser with wavelength tunability. An ultra-compact bow-tie ring cavity is developed with astigmatic compensation and a novel 'displaced mode' design producing CW output power > 1 W in excellent TEM00 mode (M2 < 1.2) when using a low brightness pump (M2 ≥ 30). Wavelength tuning from 727 - 792 nm is demonstrated using a birefringent filter plate. This successful operation opens the prospects of precision light source applications.

A cost-effective and reliable measurement strategy for 3D printed parts by integrating low- and high-resolution measurement systems

ABSTRACTMetrology data are crucial to quality control of three-dimensional (3D) printed parts. Low-cost measurement systems are often unreliable due to their low resolutions, whereas high-resolution measurement systems usually induce high measurement costs. To balance the measurement cost and accuracy, a new cost-effective and reliable measurement strategy is proposed in this article, which jointly uses two-resolution measurement systems. Specifically, only a small sample of base parts are measured by both the low- and high-resolution measurement systems in order to save costs. The measurement accuracy of most parts with only low-resolution metrology data is improved by effectively integrating high-resolution metrology data of the base parts. A Bayesian generative model parameterizes a part-independent bias and variance pattern of the low-resolution metrology data and facilitates a between-part data integration via an efficient Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling algorithm. This multi-part two-resolution metrology data integration highlights the novelty and contribution of this article compared with the existing one-part data integration methods in the literature. Finally, an intensive experimental study involving a laser scanner and a machine visual system has validated the effectiveness of our measurement strategy in acquisition of reliable metrology data of 3D printed parts.

Effect of Boron Doping on High-Resolution X-Ray Diffraction Metrology

The effect of boron (B) doping on high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HXRD) metrology has been investigated. Twelve samples of Si1–xGex films were epitaxially grown on Si (100) substrates with different thicknesses, germanium (Ge) concentrations and with/without B dopants. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) and HXRD were employed for measurements of B doping, Ge concentration, strain, and thickness of the layers. The SIMS results show the absence of B in two samples while the rest of the samples have B doping in the range of 8.40 × 1018–8.7 × 1020 atoms/cm3 with Ge concentration of 13.3–55.2 at.%. The HXRD measurements indicate the layers thickness of 7.07–108.13 nm along with Ge concentration of 12.82–49.09 at.%. The difference in the Ge concentration measured by SIMS and HXRD was found to deend on B doping. For the undoped samples, the difference is ~0.5 at.% and increases with B doping but with no linear proportionality. The difference in the Ge concentration was 7.11 at.% for the highly B-doped (8.7 × 1020 atoms/cm3) sample. The B doping influences the Si1–xGex structure, causing a change in the lattice parameter and producing tensile strains shifting Si1–xGex peaks towards Si (100) substrate peaks in the HXRD diffraction patterns. As a result, Vegard’s law is no longer effective and makes a high impact on the HXRD measurement. The comparison between symmetric (004) and asymmetric (+113, +224) reciprocal space mappings (RSM) showed a slight difference in Ge concentration between the undoped and lower B-doped samples. However, there is a change of 0.21 at.% observed for the highly doped Si1–xGex samples. RSM’s (+113) demonstrate the small SiGe peak broadening as B doping increases, which indicates a minor crystal distortion.

High resolution beam profiling of X-ray free electron laser radiation by polymer imprint development

High resolution metrology of beam profiles is presently a major challenge at X-ray free electron lasers. We demonstrate a characterization method based on beam imprints in poly (methyl methacrylate). By immersing the imprints formed at 47.8 eV into organic solvents, the regions exposed to the beam are removed similar to resist development in grayscale lithography. This allows for extending the sensitivity of the method by more than an order of magnitude compared to the established analysis of imprints created solely by ablation. Applying the Beer-Lambert law for absorption, the intensity distribution in a micron-sized focus can be reconstructed from one single shot with a high dynamic range, exceeding 103. The procedure described here allows for beam characterization at free electron lasers revealing even faint beam tails, which are not accessible when using ablation imprint methods. We demonstrate the greatly extended dynamic range on developed imprints taken in focus of conventional Fresnel zone plates and spiral zone plates producing beams with a topological charge.

Singular skeleton of a Laguerre-Gaussian beam transformed by the double-phase-ramp converter.

We analyze transformations of circular Laguerre-Gaussian beams with zero radial index after passage through the double-phase-ramp (DPR) converter and study the behavior of optical vortices in the propagating transformed beam. Direct and inverse DPR converters are considered, and informative features of the complete set of optical vortices are revealed. For the input beam with even azimuthal index, such a reaction may cause the sign reversal of the axial optical vortex. The results can be used for creation of light beams with prescribed singular skeleton, for the beam diagnostics, and in high-resolution metrology.

Precise Nanoscale Measurements with Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM): A Review.

For many of measurements, it is important to know the interaction of the measuring device with the artefact being measured in order to determine the accurate magnitude of the quantity. Mechanical, electrical, magnetic, optical and chemical properties of materials are also important parameters that need to be quantified at the micro and nanometre level. In this review, we introduce principles of scanning probe microscopy (SPM) and related technique; and also give the advance in nano-/micro-electro-mechanical systems (NEMS/MEMS) measurements using SPM. Firstly, we described state of the SPMs, their essential components and recent developments in this field. Then, conventional as well as advanced instruments have been addressed, measurement requirements discussed for measurement and fabrication. Finally, many different applications of SPMs in micro/nano electronics fields such as high resolution imaging, micro/nano-electronics, Metrology and manipulation and spectroscopy have been described in the article. Nevertheless, SPMs are advancing, supported by user-friendly and application-oriented features, improved software and combination with other instruments high precision measurement fields.

Dispersion compensated mid-infrared quantum cascade laser frequency comb with high power output

Chromatic dispersion control plays an underlying role in optoelectronics and spectroscopy owing to its enhancement to nonlinear interactions by reducing the phase mismatching. This is particularly important to optical frequency combs based on quantum cascade lasers which require negligible dispersions for efficient mode locking of the dispersed modes into equally spaced comb modes. Here, we demonstrated a dispersion compensated mid-IR quantum cascade laser frequency comb with high power output at room temperature. A low-loss dispersive mirror has been engineered to compensate the device’s dispersion residue for frequency comb generation. Narrow intermode beating linewidths of 40 Hz in the comb-working currents were identified with a high power output of 460 mW and a broad spectral coverage of 80 cm-1. This dispersion compensation technique will enable fast spectroscopy and high-resolution metrology based on QCL combs with controlled dispersion and suppressed noise.

High efficiency quantum cascade laser frequency comb

An efficient mid-infrared frequency comb source is of great interest to high speed, high resolution spectroscopy and metrology. Here we demonstrate a mid-IR quantum cascade laser frequency comb with a high power output and narrow beatnote linewidth at room temperature. The active region was designed with a strong-coupling between the injector and the upper lasing level for high internal quantum efficiency and a broadband gain. The group velocity dispersion was engineered for efficient, broadband mode-locking via four wave mixing. The comb device exhibits a narrow intermode beatnote linewidth of 50.5 Hz and a maximum wall-plug efficiency of 6.5% covering a spectral coverage of 110 cm−1 at λ ~ 8 μm. The efficiency is improved by a factor of 6 compared with previous demonstrations. The high power efficiency and narrow beatnote linewidth will greatly expand the applications of quantum cascade laser frequency combs including high-precision remote sensing and spectroscopy.

Stochastic phenomena in a fiber Raman amplifier

The interplay of such cornerstones of modern nonlinear fiber optics as a nonlinearity, stochasticity and polarization leads to variety of the noise induced instabilities including polarization attraction and escape phenomena harnessing of which is a key to unlocking the fiber optic systems specifications required in high resolution spectroscopy, metrology, biomedicine and telecommunications. Here, by using direct stochastic modeling, the mapping of interplay of the Raman scattering‐based nonlinearity, the random birefringence of a fiber, and the pump‐to‐signal intensity noise transfer has been done in terms of the fiber Raman amplifier parameters, namely polarization mode dispersion, the relative intensity noise of the pump laser, fiber length, and the signal power. The obtained results reveal conditions for emergence of the random birefringence‐induced resonance‐like enhancement of the gain fluctuations (stochastic anti‐resonance) accompanied by pulse broadening and rare events in the form of low power output signals having probability heavily deviated from the Gaussian distribution. image

Subaperture stitching tolerancing for annular ring geometry.

Subaperture stitching is an economical way to extend small-region, high-resolution interferometric metrology to cover large-aperture optics. Starting from system geometry and measurement noise knowledge, this work derives an analytical expression for how noise in an annular ring of subapertures leads to large-scale errors in the computed stitched surface. These errors scale as sin(πp/M)(-2) where p is the number of sine periods around the annular full-aperture and M is the number of subaperture measurements. Understanding how low-spatial-frequency surface errors arise from subaperture noise is necessary for tolerancing systems which use subaperture stitching.

IVVS probe mechanical concept design

ENEA has been deeply involved in the design, development and testing of a laser based In Vessel Viewing System (IVVS) required for the inspection of ITER plasma-facing components. The IVVS probe shall be deployed into the vacuum vessel, providing high resolution images and metrology measurements to detect damages and possible erosion.ENEA already designed and manufactured an IVVS probe prototype based on a rad-hard concept and driven by commercial micro-step motors, which demonstrated satisfying viewing and metrology performances at room conditions. The probe sends a laser beam through a reflective rotating prism. By rotating the axes of the prism, the probe can scan all the environment points except those present in a shadow cone and the backscattered light signal is then processed to measure the intensity level (viewing) and the distance from the probe (metrology).During the last years, in order to meet all the ITER environmental conditions, such as high vacuum, gamma radiation lifetime dose up to 5MGy, cumulative neutron fluence of about 2.3×1017n/cm2, temperature of 120°C and magnetic field of 8T, the probe mechanical design was significantly revised introducing a new actuating system based on piezo-ceramic actuators and improved with a new step focus system. The optical and mechanical schemes have been then modified and refined to meet also the geometrical constraints.The paper describes the mechanical concept design solutions adopted in order to fulfill IVVS probe functional performance requirements considering ITER working environment and geometrical constraints.