Innovative 3D AFM Technology Fuels Semiconductor, Research and Industrial Quality Control
One of the most essential issues in the semiconductor industry is the fabrication and the subsequent implementation of integrated circuits (ICs) with enduringly smaller feature sizes. The manufacturing of circuits with continuous shrinking critical dimensions (CD), not only expands the existing applications of semiconductors but also propels the demand for designs at the nanoscale level in the respective markets. However, they simultaneously call for novel apparatuses that need to cope with metrology requirements including high resolution, accuracy, and cost-effective precision. The traditional metrology tools such as CD-SEM, scatterometry, and optical lithography have proved to be inadequate and inaccurate at such low scales. Therefore, there has been a need for developing new, refined, and easy-to-use apparatuses that will ultimately overcome the intrinsic limitations of the existing metrology techniques. This article unfolds the principles of the new Park 3D atomic force microscopy (AFM) developed by Parks Systems. It is based on Park’s unique AFM architecture with independent flexure XY scanner and Z rotating head, its True Non-Contact™ technology and advanced electronics which allows for the acquisition of high-resolution images of sidewalls and undercut features.