True 3D Nanometrology: 3D-Probing with a Cantilever-Based Sensor

State of the art three-dimensional atomic force microscopes (3D-AFM) cannot measure three spatial dimensions separately from each other. A 3D-AFM-head with true 3D-probing capabilities is presented in this paper. It detects the so-called 3D-Nanoprobes CD-tip displacement with a differential interferometer and an optical lever. The 3D-Nanoprobe was specifically developed for tactile 3D-probing and is applied for critical dimension (CD) measurements. A calibrated 3D-Nanoprobe shows a selectivity ratio of 50:1 on average for each of the spatial directions x, y, and z. Typical stiffness values are [Formula: see text] N/m, [Formula: see text] N/m, and [Formula: see text] N/m resulting in a quasi-isotropic ratio of the stiffness of 1.1:0.9:1.0 in x:y:z, respectively. The probing repeatability of the developed true 3D-AFM shows a standard deviation of 0.18 nm, 0.31 nm, and 0.83 nm for x, y, and z, respectively. Two CD-line samples type IVPS100-PTB, which were perpendicularly mounted to each other, were used to test the performance of the developed true 3D-AFM: repeatability, long-term stability, pitch, and line edge roughness and linewidth roughness (LER/LWR), showing promising results.