Dr. Hiroshi Itoh Profile

Dr. Hiroshi Itoh

Senior Researcher at AIST

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Author

Publications (4)

Proceedings Article | 8 September 2014 Paper

Technique for AFM tip characterization

Ndubuisi Orji, Hiroshi Itoh, Chunmei Wang, Ronald Dixson

Proceedings Volume 9173, 917305 (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2062759

KEYWORDS: Atomic force microscopy, Transmission electron microscopy, Calibration, System on a chip, Metrology, Atomic force microscope, Silicon, Photomicroscopy, Semiconductors, Critical dimension metrology

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SPIE Journal Paper | 12 March 2012

Atomic force microscope method for sidewall measurement through carbon nanotube probe deformation correction

Masahiro Watanabe, Shuichi Baba, Toshihiko Nakata, Takafumi Morimoto, Satoshi Sekino, Hiroshi Itoh

JM3, Vol. 11, Issue 1, 011009, (March 2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.10.1117/1.JMM.11.1.011009

KEYWORDS: Atomic force microscope, Carbon nanotubes, Atomic force microscopy, Silicon, Calibration, Cadmium, Sensors, Signal detection, Eye, Distortion

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Proceedings Article | 20 April 2011 Paper

Artifacts of the AFM image due to the probe controlling parameters

Hiroshi Itoh, Chunmei Wang, Hideki Takagi

Proceedings Volume 7971, 79711A (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.879774

KEYWORDS: Atomic force microscopy, Silicon, Silica, Image analysis, Silicon films, Semiconducting wafers, Transmission electron microscopy, Convolution, Oxides, Image transmission

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Proceedings Article | 24 March 2009 Paper

AFM method for sidewall measurement through CNT probe deformation correction and its accuracy evaluation

Masahiro Watanabe, Shuichi Baba, Toshihiko Nakata, Hiroshi Itoh, Takafumi Morimoto, Satoshi Sekino

Proceedings Volume 7272, 72721P (2009) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.813375

KEYWORDS: Deconvolution, Atomic force microscopy, Critical dimension metrology, Signal detection, Cerium, Sensors, Silicon, Eye, Calibration, Distortion

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To use atomic force microscope (AFM) to measure dense patterns of 32-nm node structures, there is a difficulty in providing flared probes that go into narrow vertical features. Using carbon nanotube (CNT) probes is a possible alternative. However, even with its extremely high stiffness, van der Waals attractive force from steep sidewalls bends CNT probes. This probe deflection effect causes deformation (or "swelling") of the measured profile. When measuring 100-nm-high vertical sidewalls with a 24-nm-diameter and 220-nm-long CNT probe, the probe deflection can cause a bottom CD bias of 13.5 nm. This phenomenon is inevitable when using long, thin probes whichever scanning method is used. We proposed a method to deconvolve this probe deflection effect. By detecting torsional motion of the base cantilever for the CNT probe, it is possible to estimate the amount of CNT probe deflection. Using this information, we have developed a technique for deconvolving the probe deformation effect from measured profiles. This technique, in combination with deconvolution of the probe shape effect, enables vertical sidewall profile measurement. We have quantitatively evaluated the performance of the proposed method using an improved version of a "tip characterizers" developed at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), which has a well-defined high-aspect-ratio line and space structure with a variety of widths ranging from 10 to 60 nm. The critical dimension (CD) values of the line features measured with the proposed AFM method showed good matches to TEMcalibrated CD values. The biases were within a range of ±1.7 nm for combinations of three different probes, five different patterns, and two different threshold heights, which is a remarkable improvement from the bias range of ±4.7 nm with the conventional probe tip shape deconvolution method. The static repeatability was 0.54 nm (3σ), compared to 1.1 nm with the conventional method. Using a 330-nm-deep tip characterizer, we also proved that a 36-nm-narrow groove could be clearly imaged.

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