Grid Plate Qualification Tool for Atomic Force Microscopy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Positioning systems in nano-scale manufacturing and quality inspection face accuracy limitations due to manufacturing imperfections in grid plates used for encoding, leading to signal imperfections and reduced resolution.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a device with a fixed reference frame, pattern encoder, actuation stage, and displacement measurement system, which identifies and measures imperfections in the coordinate reference pattern on a plate, creating a correction map to improve positioning accuracy in atomic force microscopy tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a grid plate with coordinate reference pattern is used for positioning in atomic force microscopy, then position reference is provided for system elements, but manufacturing imperfections in the grid plate lead to signal imperfections and limit positioning accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
An independent displacement measurement system with higher resolution (e.g., laser interferometer) is introduced as an intermediary to measure the actual positions of features on the grid plate. This mediator provides accurate reference measurements that are not affected by the limitations of the pattern encoder reading the manufactured pattern, thereby enabling correction of positioning errors caused by manufacturing imperfections
Solution Approach 2:
The system measures imperfections in the coordinate reference pattern using the high-resolution displacement measurement system and uses this information to generate correction data. This feedback loop allows the atomic force microscopy tool to compensate for grid plate manufacturing errors, improving positioning accuracy by applying corrections based on the measured deviations
2Measurement precision
If the pattern encoder reads the coordinate reference pattern directly, then position information is obtained, but the measurement resolution is limited by the encoder's capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
A high-resolution displacement measurement system (such as a laser interferometer) is introduced as an intermediary measurement device. This mediator directly measures the position of features on the grid plate with superior resolution compared to the pattern encoder, providing accurate reference data for identifying and correcting pattern imperfections without relying solely on the encoder's limited resolution
Solution Approach 2:
The grid plate qualification is performed in advance using the high-resolution displacement measurement system to identify and map imperfections in the coordinate reference pattern. This preliminary characterization of the grid plate allows subsequent atomic force microscopy measurements to apply corrections based on the pre-measured imperfections, improving accuracy without adding complexity to the primary measurement system
Data Source
AI summary
An atomic force microscopy tool (AFM) configured for receiving a plate including a coordinate reference pattern on the plate, for providing a position reference for the AFM: and a device for qualifying a coordinate reference pattern in the AFM, comprising a fixed reference frame, a pattern encoder for reading the reference pattern, an actuation stage for relatively moving the plate and the pattern encoder parallel to the plate, a displacement measurement system for measuring a displacement of the plate or pattern encoder relative to the fixed reference frame, and a controller for controlling the actuation stage, the encoder, and the measurement system, arranged to identify imperfections in the coordinate reference pattern and their locations by controlling the displacement measurement system; and arranged for storing each imperfection coupled to the location determined.