Ongoing trends in precision metrology, particularly in nanopositioning and nanomeasuring technology

Abstract

Abstract Continuing engineering progress in precision fabrication technologies, especially in the diversified micro- and nanotechnology, stimulates the advance in precision metrology, particularly in nanopositioning and nanomeasuring technology. Structures reach atomic dimensions, and becoming more and more complex. Consequently, measurements are required – to an increasing extend – of larger surface regions and sidewalls with higher aspect ratios as well as fully 3D micro- and nano-structures. Therefore, the resolution of nanomeasuring machines approaches the picometre level and the frequency stability of the laser sources the range of 10–10 to provide multiscale accuracy. Area-measuring optical sensors provide vast amount of data (> 5 Tbyte). Lateral highly resolved measurements are only possible by tip-based AFM single point probes but are extremely time consuming. Here, adaptive intelligent algorithms for optimum hierarchical measurement strategies are necessary. Multisenor instrumentation and multiparameter characterization provide additional challenges also in profoundly parallel data processing.