Design of a long stroke translation stage for AFM

doi:10.1016/j.ijmachtools.2009.10.012

International Journal of Machine Tools and Manufacture

Volume 50, Issue 2, February 2010, Pages 183-190

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmachtools.2009.10.012 Get rights and content

Abstract

A new metrological AFM is developed for the Dutch standards laboratory. This instrument consists of a translation stage with a stroke of 1×1×1 mm and a custom-designed AFM measurement head. Here the design of the translation stage, consisting of elastic straight guides, Lorentz-actuators with weight and stiffness compensation and interferometric translation measurement systems, will be discussed. Some preliminary results on the performance of the actuation system are presented.

Introduction

The measurement of dimensional variations in manufactured products is an essential step in the development of any new production technology. These measurements can only be considered reliable if the instruments used are traceably calibrated to the standard of length.

Instruments capable of measurements at the nanometre scale, such as atomic force microscopes (AFMs), are calibrated using step height standards and 1D or 2D gratings [1], [2]. These calibration samples are, in turn, calibrated using a traceable metrological AFM [3].

For the Dutch standards laboratory (VSL), a new metrological AFM is being developed for the calibration of this type of transfer standards. With a measuring volume of 1×1×1 mm, this new instrument has a larger scanning volume than most current metrological AFMs [4], [5], [6], [7], [8]. This increase in scanning range allows larger parts of the sample to be measured in one continuous scan, resulting in improved measurement statistics and a better estimate of the sample uniformity [9].

Section snippets

System description

The instrument consists of a low-hysteresis elastic translation stage and a dedicated, kinematically mounted AFM measurement head. To minimize the Abbe error, the stage is used for translating the sample while the AFM head remains stationary.

The AFM head [10] is designed for contact mode measurements and uses the optical reflection method to measure the deflection of the AFM cantilever. The incident beam is created using a diode laser and optimized beam shaping optics. The movements of the

Component description

The translation stage is designed from the inside out, starting with the sample. This top-down approach results in minimal overall dimensions of the instrument, leading to minimal sensitivity for thermal gradients.

The components of the instrument will be discussed in the same order, starting with the sample table. After that the straight guide, actuators and the measurement system will be explained.

Conclusion

An elastic translation stage for AFM has been designed. An experimental set-up showed that the stiffness and weight compensation mechanisms significantly reduce the power losses in the actuators.

The stage is currently being realized and completion is foreseen towards early 2009.

Acknowledgement

The authors wish to thank Dr Koops and Dr Van Veghel of VSL for the many discussions on the metrological aspects of the instrument.

This research is supported by NanoNed, a national nanotechnology program coordinated by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs.

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Design of a long stroke translation stage for AFM

Abstract

Introduction

Section snippets

System description

Component description

Conclusion

Acknowledgement

Precis. Eng.

Precis. Eng.

Ultramicroscopy

Advances in scanning force microscopy for dimensional metrology

CIRP Ann. Manuf. Technol.

Advances in Traceable Nanometrology at the National Physical Laboratory

Nanotechnology

Metrological large range scanning probe microscope

Rev. Sci. Instrum.

Nanometre resolution metrology with the Molecular Measuring Machine

Meas. Sci. Technol.

Calibration of a commercial AFM: traceability of a coordinate system

Meas. Sci. Technol.

Accurate and traceable calibration of two-dimensional gratings

Meas. Sci. Technol.