Pico-Newton Controlled Step-in Mode NC-AFM Using a Quadrature Frequency Demodulator and a Slim Probe in Air for CD-AFM

We have studied a step-in mode non-contact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM) for precise measurement of fine and steep structure with nanometer resolution in air. When a high aspect structure is measured using step-in mode AFM with the sharpened and slim probe, it is required that AFM control has to be performed at a force of <1 nN in pico-Newton range to suppress the bending and slipping of the probe on slop. Using a home-made step-in mode NC-AFM using a quadrature frequency demodulator for resonant frequency shift of the cantilever, the NC-AFM demonstrated that Si steep structure was faithfully observed at about 2 pN in air.