A novel high throughput probe microscope: for measuring 3D structures, designed for in-line, integrated or standalone operation

The Rapid Probe Microscope (RPM), exists as an integrated solution for photomask repair, with its application extended to include wafer metrology in 2016 [1]. The RPM can acquire non-destructive, high resolution, sub-nm detail in all 3 dimensions, overcoming some of the limitations of conventional AFM. In addition, it is flexible and can be configured to run either in air or in vacuum. The RPM includes the innovative use of an interferometric detection system to simultaneously measure both the height and the deflection of the cantilever, while the probe is controlled through photo thermal actuation. This combination delivers an accurate, very fast, direct measurement of the height of the probe and the corresponding structure of the sample surface. The X,Y probe scanner movement is also monitored by an interferometer. This guarantees both the linearity and XY position of the probe tip, delivering a corresponding sub-nm metrology of the wafer structure.