Lithography, Probing, Move & Scan Software

Several advanced AFM techniques are possible with the Lithography, Probing, Move & Scan Software (LPM) package for the Nano-R™ and Nano-I™ AFM. This product includes the software and hardware for making advanced measurements.

The advanced functions include:

Modifications: Basic shapes such as lines, dots, and circles as well as images from bitmaps may be written on a surface. The writing technique may be potential, or force driven.

Probing: With the probing option of the LPM Software, it is possible to place the probe at a specific location on a surface and make an electrical measurement. The initial capability for probing is I/V measurements. However, additional electrical measurements are easily added.

Move-n-Scan: On the Nano-R™ AFM systems, many images may be imaged in sequence. The locations for measuring each of the images are selected using a software interface.

Manipulation: Nano-scale objects may be moved across a surface with the AFM probe using the manipulation capability of the LPM software. Examples include moving nano-spheres and nanotubes.



Lithography

Figure 1: Lithography Software

1. Patterns may be written with dots, lines, grids, polygons, or patterns may be imported from bitmap files. 2. After a pattern is written, the sample can be directly scanned to view changes in the surface. 3. While writing a pattern, the probe force, the probe voltage, and the scan speed may be varied under software control.

Drawing Nano-scale patterns is possible with LPM software. Patterns may be directly drawn with the software or imported from a drawing file. After a pattern is loaded, the lithography method is designated and the LPM software does the rest.

Pacific Nanotechnology products are ideal for nano-lithography applications. Calibration sensors in the x and y axis facilitate exact positioning of the probe and allow the creation of accurate nano-lithography patterns. Also, the high thermal stability of the Pacific Nanotechnology SPM stages helps create accurate nano-lithography patterns.

Probing

Electrical probing in an image is possible with this feature. The regions for probing are designated as well as the voltage ramp parameter. The software then automatically records one of multiple measurements.

With the move-n-scan software it is possible to create extremely large AFM images by measuring several images, in sequence, that are spatially next to each other. An example of AFM "image stitching" is shown below. The scan size of the "stitched" image is 80 X 220 microns. The image is of a piece of abalone shell, composed of crystalline tiles bonded together with a protein layer. The specimen was mechanically polished before AFM imaging. An Optical Image of the sample shows the exact location where the sequence of the AFM scans where taken.

Figure 4: Four AFM images stitched together using 80 x 222 micron scan.

1. Multiple regions of a sample are selected for scanning in sequence. 2. The coordinates for each scan are displayed in a table. 3. Images are automatically stored in sequence on the computer's hard drive. 4. As each scan is measured, it is displayed on the LPM window in real time.

System Requirements

1. The Nano-R™ must be shipped after March 31, 2004 to be compatible with this software package. Systems shipped before this date must be returned to the factory for an electronics upgrade. Contact PNI Customer Service to arrange for the electronics upgrade.

2. Electrical measurements require a current/voltage converter or other type of electrical measuring device.

3. This software may be used with the Nano-I™; however, no provision is made for electrically isolating the sample on the Nano-I™.

4. Includes P-020-0007-0 API for the Nano-R™ and Nano-I™ AFM.