On the resolution of subsurface atomic force microscopy and its implications for subsurface feature sizing

Miniature electron beam separator based on three stacked dipoles

We designed and built a compact bi-axial electron beam separator. This separator is an indispensable electron optical element in the development of MEMS-mirror-based miniaturized concepts for quantum electron microscopy (QEM) and aberration-corrected low-voltage scanning electron microscopy (AC-SEM). The separator provides the essential cycling...

On-chip integration of Si/SiGe-based quantum dots and switched-capacitor circuits

Solid-state qubits integrated on semiconductor substrates currently require at least one wire from every qubit to the control electronics, leading to a so-called wiring bottleneck for scaling. Demultiplexing via on-chip circuitry offers an effective strategy to overcome this bottleneck. In the case of gate-defined quantum dot arrays, specific...

On-chip waveguide-coupled opto-electro-mechanical system for nanoscale displacement sensing

Miniaturization of displacement sensors for nanoscale metrology is a key requirement in many applications such as accelerometry, mass sensing, and atomic force microscopy. While optics provides high resolution and bandwidth, integration of sensor readout is required to achieve low-cost, compact, and parallelizable devices. Here, we present a...

Optimization of acoustic coupling for bottom actuated scattering based subsurface scanning probe microscopy

The characterization of buried nanoscale structures nondestructively is an important challenge in a number of applications, such as defect detection and metrology in the semiconductor industry. A promising technique is Subsurface Scanning Probe Microscopy (SSPM), which combines ultrasound with Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Initially, SSPM was...

Sub-50 nm metrology on extreme ultra violet chemically amplified resist: A systematic assessment

With lithographic patterning dimensions decreasing well below 50 nm, it is of high importance to understand metrology at such small scales. This paper presents results obtained from dense arrays of contact holes (CHs) with various Critical Dimension (CD) between 15 and 50 nm, as patterned in a chemically amplified resist using an ASML EUV...

Development of a detachable high speed miniature scanning probe microscope for large area substrates inspection

We have developed a high speed, miniature scanning probe microscope (MSPM) integrated with a Positioning Unit (PU) for accurately positioning the MSPM on a large substrate. This combination enables simultaneous, parallel operation of many units on a large sample for high throughput measurements. The size of the MSPM is 19 × 45 × 70 mm3. It...

A miniaturized, high frequency mechanical scanner for high speed atomic force microscope using suspension on dynamically determined points

One of the major limitations in the speed of the atomic force microscope (AFM) is the bandwidth of the mechanical scanning stage, especially in the vertical (z) direction. According to the design principles of “light and stiff” and “static determinacy,” the bandwidth of the mechanical scanner is limited by the first eigenfrequency of the AFM...

Exciton quenching at PEDOT:PSS anode in polymer blue-light-emitting diodes

The quenching of excitons at the poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonic acid) PEDOT:PSS) anode in blue polyalkoxyspirobifluorene-arylamine polymer light-emitting diodes is investigated. Due to the combination of a higher electron mobility and the presence of electron traps, the recombination zone shifts from the cathode to the...

In-situ localized carbon nanotube growth inside partially sealed enclosures

Carbon nanotube assemblies can be used for specific applications such as sensors and filters. We present a method and proof-of-concept to directly grow vertically-aligned carbon nanotube structures within sealed enclosures by means of a feedback-controlled laser-assisted chemical vapor deposition technique. The process is compatible with a...