Scanning tip orientation adjustment method for atomic force microscopy

A method of measuring an actual tip angle for an atomic force microscopy (AFM) tip comprising:

• providing a sample having a deep feature formed therein, wherein the deep feature has vertical sidewalls;
• scanning the deep feature with the AFM tip;
• analyzing a cross-section image of deep feature scan data to determine a slope of a left sidewall of the cross-section image;
• analyzing the cross-section image of deep feature scan data to determine a slope of a right sidewall of the cross-section image;
• and
• determining the actual tip angle of the AFM tip at a position where the deep feature was scanned based on the left and right sidewall slopes.

A method of calibrating an atomic force microscopy (AFM) tip comprising:

• loading a calibration sample into an AFM machine, wherein the sample has deep features formed therein;
• moving a scanner head to an initial position, wherein the AFM tip is attached to the end of the scanner head;
• scanning one of the deep features at the initial position;
• determining a first tip angle measurement for the AFM tip relative to the sample in a first direction;
• determining a second tip angle measurement for the AFM tip relative to the sample in a second direction, wherein the second direction differs from the first direction;
• determining a first position offset in the first direction for performing a first scan;
• and
• determining a second position offset in the second direction for performing the first scan.

A method of obtaining a partial deep feature atomic force microscopy (AFM) image comprising:

• loading a sample into an AFM scanner machine, wherein the sample has deep features formed therein, and wherein the AFM scanner machine has a scanner head with an AFM tip attached thereto;
• selecting a deep feature image portion desired from choices including a center portion, a left portion, and a right portion;
• if the center portion is selected for the deep feature image portion desired, moving the scanner head to a first position where the AFM tip is substantially perpendicular to a surface of the sample;
• if the left portion is selected for the deep feature image portion desired, moving the scanner head to a second position where a left face of the AFM tip will be substantially parallel with a left sidewall of one of the deep features at the second position;
• if the right portion is selected for the deep feature image portion desired, moving the scanner head to a third position where a right face of the AFM tip will be substantially parallel with a right sidewall of one of the deep features at the third position;
• and
• scanning one of the deep features at a current position corresponding to the selected portion to obtain a cross-section AFM image of the deep feature focusing on the selected portion.

A method of obtaining a composite deep feature atomic force microscopy (AFM) image comprising:

• loading a sample into an AFM scanner machine, wherein the sample has deep features formed therein, and wherein the AFM scanner machine has a scanner head with an AFM tip attached thereto;
• moving the scanner head to a first position where the AFM tip is substantially perpendicular to a surface of the sample;
• scanning a first deep feature at the first position to obtain a first cross-section AFM image of the first deep feature focusing on a center portion of the first deep feature;
• moving the scanner head to a second position where a left face of the AFM tip will be substantially parallel with a left sidewall of a second deep feature at the second position;
• scanning the second deep feature at the second position to obtain a second cross-section AFM image of the second deep feature focusing on a left portion of the second deep feature;
• moving the scanner head to a third position where a right face of the AFM tip will be substantially parallel with a right sidewall of a third deep feature at the third position;
• scanning the third deep feature at the third position to obtain a third cross-section AFM image of the third deep feature focusing on a right portion of the third deep feature;
• combining the center portion of the first image with the left portion of the second image and with the right portion of the third image to form the composite AFM image.