Device, and Method of Manufacture, for use in Mechanically Cleaning Nanoscale Debris from a Sample Surface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021396784-A1
Application number	US-202117352001-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 18, 2021
Priority date	Jun 18, 2020
Publication date	Dec 23, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A mechanical method of removing nanoscale debris from a sample surface using an atomic force microscope (AFM) probe. The probe is shaped to include an edge that provides shovel-type action on the debris as the probe is moved laterally to the sample surface. Advantageously, the probe is able to lift the debris without damaging the debris for more efficient cleaning of the surface. The edge is preferably made by focused ion beam (FIB) milling the diamond apex of the tip.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A mechanical device for removing nanoscale debris from a sample surface comprising:
a surface configured to contact a bottom portion of the debris and lift the debris when moved laterally to the sample surface.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical device is an AFM probe having a tip, and the surface defines part of the tip.

3 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the tip is a diamond tip and the surface defines a notch formed between proximal and distal ends of the tip.

4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the notch is formed by focus ion beam (FIB) milling.

5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the sample surface is a surface of a lithography mask used in semiconductor fabrication.

6 . An AFM having a probe according claim 1 .

7 . A method of cleaning nanoscale debris from a sample surface, the method comprising:
a mechanical device including a surface configured to contact a bottom portion of the debris and lift the debris when moved laterally to the sample surface.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the mechanical device is an AFM probe having a tip, and the surface defines part of the tip.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising moving the tip in a vector having both lateral and vertical components resulting in scooping of the debris from the sample surface.

10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
engaging the tip to the surface; and providing relative lateral motion between the surface and the tip so that the surface secures the debris against the tip and lifts the debris.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising AFM imaging the sample surface prior to the engaging step to identify the debris.

12 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising providing relative orthogonal motion between the probe and the sample so as to lift the debris with the tip to a predetermined height.

13 . A method of manufacturing a device to clean nanoscale debris from a sample surface, the method comprising:
providing a probe including a diamond tip; and modifying the tip such that when the probe is moved laterally to the sample surface and interacts with the nanoscale debris the modified tip contacts a bottom portion of the debris so as to provide an upward force to the debris.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the tip has a first and second ends, and wherein modifying step comprises cutting a notch in a surface of the tip between the first and second ends.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein, prior to being modified, the tip is generally conical in shape.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the modifying step includes focused ion beam (FIB) milling the tip.

17 . An AFM probe made according to the method of claim 13 .

Assignees

• Bruker Nano Inc

Inventors

• Wang Weijie
• Hu Shuiqing
• Osborne Jason
• Su Chanmin

Classifications

• G01Q70/14

  Particular materials · CPC title

• G01Q70/10 Primary

  Shape or taper · CPC title

• G01Q70/16

  Probe manufacture · CPC title

• G03F1/82 Primary

  Auxiliary processes, e.g. cleaning or inspecting · CPC title

• G01Q80/00 Primary

  Applications, other than SPM, of scanning-probe techniques (manufacture or treatment of nanostructures B82B3/00; recording or reproducing information using near-field interaction G11B9/12, G11B11/24, G11B13/08) · CPC title