PROBE SCANNING MICROSCOPE

• Main Author: NANKO TOMOAKI
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 28.06.1994
• Edition: 5
• Subjects: APPLICATIONS OF SCANNING-PROBE TECHNIQUES, e.g. SCANNING PROBEMICROSCOPY [SPM]; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS; ELECTRICITY; MEASURING; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS; MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEARDIMENSIONS; PHYSICS; SCANNING-PROBE TECHNIQUES OR APPARATUS; TESTING

PURPOSE:To achieve that the shape of a sample and the distribution of the dielectric breakdown strength on the surface of the sample are measured at high speed by a method wherein a triangular-waveshaped bias voltage is applied across a probe and the sample in each measuring point. CONSTITUTION:When a probe 1 is brought close to a sample 2 up to a very small distance at which an interatomic force acts, the probe 1 is deformed. Its deformation is found by a displacement detection circuit 8, and a Z-actuator 5 is controlled by a servo circuit in such a way that the output of the circuit 8 becomes definite. An X-actuator 3 and a Y-actuator 4 are driven in this state, the probe 1 is scanned, the output of the circuit 9 at this time is taken into a computer 11 by an A/D converter 111, and the shape of the sample 2 is measured. In addition, a generation device 12 outputs a triangular-wave-shaped bias voltage to the sample 2 by a control signal form the computer 11 in each measuring point. When the bias voltage exceeds the dielectric breakdown strength on the surface of the sample 2, an electric current flows across the probe 1 and the sample 2. A signal generation device 1 5 outputs a trigger signal to the computer 11 when the value of the electric current reaches a definite value of higher.