Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) has shown a great degree of nano-scale control, and a great potential to address the challenges found in metrology. There has been a broad development of SPM-based methods for patterning and metrology purposes although its exploitation for technological applications is limited due to the modest throughput of scanning probe based techniques. In this article we present experimental results that include the proof-of-principle of using SSURFM to locate existing buried nanopatterns (lines of 50 nm) and subsequently using our patterning technology to manufacture nanocontact holes aligned to the existing buried lines. In combination with the high throughput parallel scanning probe, this example demonstrates the great potential and the suitability of the group of technologies developed at TNO (consisting of the patterning and the subsurface nanoimaging) for alignment and overlay, especially through opaque layers. |
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