Measuring and testing – Surface and cutting edge testing – Roughness
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-22
2001-10-09
Larkin, Daniel S. (Department: 2856)
Measuring and testing
Surface and cutting edge testing
Roughness
C250S306000, C250S307000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06298715
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a scanning probe microscopy apparatus and, more specifically, the present invention relates to a integrated circuit testing apparatus.
2. Background Information
One use for scanning force microscopes is to measure periodic electrical signal waveforms on or near a surface of a sample such as for example an integrated circuit.
FIG. 1
is a block diagram illustrating a present day scanning force microscope
101
. As shown in
FIG. 1
, the scanning force microscope
101
includes a probe
113
having a cantilever
115
positioned on or near a signal line
117
proximate to a surface
118
of a sample
119
. An optical source
103
provides light
123
which is directed through a beam splitter
107
, directed through a lens
109
and is reflected off a mirror
111
onto cantilever
115
.
Cantilever
115
is coupled to receive a probe waveform that is used to measure the periodic electrical signal waveforms in signal line
117
. The interaction between the periodic electrical signal waveforms in signal line
117
and the probe waveform in cantilever
115
causes periodic mechanical motion of cantilever
115
through the capacitive coupling between cantilever
115
and signal line
117
. This mechanical motion is detected with detector
105
through light beam
123
, which is reflected off cantilever
115
back off of mirror
111
through lens
109
and off of beam splitter
107
into detector
105
. Alternatively, the cantilever
115
can directly contact the signal line
117
and directly couple the electrical signal from the signal line
117
to the cantilever
115
and eventually to the probe
113
. From the probe
113
, the signal can be coupled to any number of apparatuses, such as for example oscilloscopes, to measure the characteristics of the signal.
FIG. 2
is an illustration showing probe
113
and cantilever
115
of
FIG. 1
in greater detail. As shown in
FIG. 2
, a fixed end of cantilever
115
is attached to a chip
201
. Light
123
is directed to a back side of cantilever
115
and is reflected off of the back side. Motion of cantilever
115
is detected by observing light beam
123
after it has been reflected off the back side of cantilever
115
.
Referring back to
FIG. 1
, it can be seen that a microscope objective lens
121
is used to observe and position cantilever
115
in relation to the surface
118
of sample
119
. One disadvantage with present day scanning force microscope
101
is that mirror
111
partially obstructs the field of vision of microscope objective lens
121
when viewing and positioning cantilever
115
.
Another disadvantage with the present day scanning force microscope
101
is that it is difficult to measure simultaneously two or more nodes in close proximity on the surface
118
of sample
117
. In particular, since mirror
111
is positioned above cantilever
115
and protrudes beyond the free end of cantilever
115
as shown in
FIG. 1
, it is difficult to position more than one scanning force microscope to measure multiple signal waveforms in a small area of surface
118
. More generally, in present day scanning probe microscopes employing optical deflection sensors, it is difficult to position two or more probes in close proximity due to the protrusion of the optical path used to sense cantilever motion beyond the end of the cantilever.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A scanning force microscope probe is disclosed. In one embodiment, the scanning force microscope probe includes a cantilever having a first end and a second end. A reflective structure is included on the cantilever such that at least a portion of light that is directed from a direction toward the first end is reflected from the reflective structure in a direction toward the second end. Additional features and benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description, figures, and claims set forth below.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5394741 (1995-03-01), Kajimura et al.
patent: 5908981 (1999-06-01), Atalar et al.
Albrecht et al., “Microfabrication of Cantilever Styli for the Atomic Force Microscope”, J. Vac. Sci. Techol. A, vol. 8, No. 4, Jul./Aug. 1990, pp. 3386-3395.*
Manalis et al., “Interdigital Cantilever for Atomic Force Microscopy”, Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 69, No. 25, Dec. 16, 1996, pp. 3944-3946.*
Yaralioglu et al., “Analysis and Design of an Interdigital Cantilever as a Displacement Sensor”, Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 83, No. 12, Jun. 15, 1998, pp. 7405-7415.
Lada Christopher O.
Thomson Douglas J.
Blakely , Sokoloff, Taylor & Zafman LLP
Larkin Daniel S.
MFI Technologies Corporation
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