Integrated AFM and Optical Measurement for Surface Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical measurement devices face challenges with long setup times and require numerous parameters to measure complex shapes, leading to inaccurate fitting calculations, and existing solutions like CD-SEM lack sufficient accuracy.
Innovation Solution
An atomic force microscope equipped with an optical measurement device that integrates a lighting unit, detection unit, and control device to acquire surface characteristics by scanning with an XY scanner, allowing for precise matching of positions and extracting characteristic values for accurate shape information acquisition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If optical measurement device is used for measurement, then measurement speed is improved and reproducibility is enhanced, but setup time increases and measurement complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the optical measurement device with the atomic force microscope into a single integrated system. The optical measurement device is mounted on the AFM platform, allowing the probe to serve dual purposes: mechanical contact measurement and optical measurement. This merging eliminates the need for separate setup procedures and aligns the measurement origins, thereby reducing setup time while maintaining high measurement speed and reproducibility.
2Productivity
If optical measurement device is used for measurement, then measurement speed is improved, but accuracy of shape measurement deteriorates due to insufficient parameters
Solution Approach 1:
The probe in the integrated system serves multiple functions: it performs both atomic force microscopy measurements and optical measurements. This multi-functionality allows the system to leverage the complementary strengths of both techniques - the high resolution and accuracy of AFM combined with the speed and reproducibility of optical measurement - thereby achieving both high measurement speed and accurate shape measurement without requiring separate devices or additional parameters.
3Loss of time
If CD-SEM is used to solve optical measurement drawbacks, then setup time is reduced, but measurement accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using CD-SEM as a separate device, the patent merges the optical measurement device directly with the atomic force microscope. This integration allows the system to maintain the measurement accuracy of AFM while incorporating the speed and reproducibility of optical measurement, effectively avoiding the accuracy compromise that occurs when using CD-SEM as a replacement.
4Measurement precision
If multiple measurement devices are used, then measurement accuracy is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the optical measurement device with the atomic force microscope into a single integrated system. This consolidation reduces the number of separate devices needed, simplifies the overall system architecture, and lowers operational complexity while maintaining high measurement accuracy through the complementary capabilities of both measurement techniques working together on a unified platform.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This integration enables fast and accurate shape data acquisition, reduces measurement time, and combines data seamlessly, improving overall measurement speed and reducing costs by eliminating the need for separate devices.
Implementation Method 1
a lighting unit configured to allow light to enter the surface of the measurement target
Implementation Method 2
a detection unit configured to detect light reflected by the surface of the measurement target
Data Source
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AI summary
An atomic force microscope equipped with an optical measurement device is disclosed. An atomic force microscope equipped with an optical measurement device which acquires characteristics of a surface of a measurement target by moving a probe along the surface of the measurement target while scanning the measurement target on an XY plane using an XY scanner for supporting the measurement target, includes: an optical measurement device including a lighting unit configured to allow light to enter the surface of the measurement target, and a detection unit configured to detect light reflected by the surface of the measurement target, the optical measurement device being configured to acquire the characteristics of the surface of the measurement target by the scanning by the XY scanner; and a control device configured to control an operation of the atomic force microscope and an operation of the optical measurement device.