SPM Calibrator™ Standard for Image Accuracy

Use this outstanding calibration aid to increase confidence in the quality of your results!

Improve the accuracy of all SPM measurements using SPM Calibrator, the new standard for image accuracy. This product is covered by US Patents #5, 644, 512 and #5, 825, 670 .

What is SPM Calibrator?
Until the invention of SPM Calibrator, the calibration of SPM instruments was time consuming and laborious, so much so in fact, that even busy quality laboratories were being hard pressed to take the time needed to do proper and timely calibration checks.

So the invention of SPM Calibrator was really the solution to this very real problem! Busy SPM laboratories can now make accurate dimensional measurements, quickly and at low cost. Quality assurance, especially in the area of critical dimension measurements is now able to be done without effort or noticeable cost.

How it works:
SPM Calibrator is a new system for calibrating scanning probe microscopes. It can help the typical SPM user improve the accuracy of critical dimension measurements. It permits the QC testing of the SPM an effortless undertaking. Ordinary SPM scans may be accurate to 5% and this can make it very hard to judge whether device dimensions actually meet stated specifications. This costs money when the production tolerance is tightened to compensate for the loose measurement tolerance.

SPM Calibrator consists of a reference standard and data analysis software. The output demonstrates the accuracy of the instrument. Every SPM user benefits from the convenience of well-documented calibration checks. You can improve the accuracy of your existing SPM, guided by the results from SPM Calibrator. Compare the ordinary and improved scans shown here.

% Distortion for an Ordinary Scan

% Distortion for an Improved Scan

It is important to understand the definition of the "% Distortion": It is the variation of pitch for consecutive pairs of lines, as reported by SPM Calibrator. The ordinary image is a 10µm scan of the 300 nm standard, using the normal AFM calibration settings. The improved image was scanned after optimizing the calibration settings based on SPM Calibrator's results.

Ordinary (top) vs. Improved Image (bottom)

Further product description:

There are two aspects to the product, one being the calibration samples themselves, the other being the data analysis software. Each will be described separately since, in a sense, they are independent of one another.

Overall Benefits for both calibration samples and the software:

Easier QC testing of your SPM
Improved accuracy of critical dimension measurements
Accuracy: 0.5% (1 std. dev.)

1. Calibration Samples

Features and benefits:

Holographic fabrication - assures high accuracy and precision
Pattern height > 100 nm - provides excellent image contrast
Uniform coverage of entire chip - saves time (can image anywhere)

Product Specifications:

Nominal calibrated dimensions: 300 or 700 nm
Calibration certificate: supplied with each sample, stating the dimension to the nearest 1 nm.
Pattern types: 1- or 2-Dimensional. The calibrated dimension is the same for both axes for the 2-D standard.
Feature geometry: parallel ridges (1-D, 300 or 700 nm), cylindrical posts (2-D 300 nm), or diamond-shaped posts (2-D 700 nm)
Physical Size: 3 mm x 4mm x 0.5 mm
Substrate: Silicon wafer
Top surface: Tungsten film

The 1-D standards can be scanned using any AFM mode, including contact mode. The 2-D standards can be scanned using modes such as TappingMode™, intermittent contact, and non-contact.

2. Calibrator Pro™ data analysis software:

Features and benefits:

Statistical report
Documents magnification and distortion for quality control

Pitchtable and graph
Shows trend of individual values, helps you adjust your SPM to reduce distortion

Plain text output files
Can be imported into third-party spreadsheet or plotting programs.

Automatic feature finder
Quick (no need to count individual features)

High precision analysis process (Patent Pending)
Get precise dimensions for both large and small scans using one standard

Graphical interface, on-line help, free technical support
Easy to learn and use

Product Specifications:

SPM compatibility:
Digital Instruments NanoScope^® SPM's (software supporting other brands will be available soon, just ask and tell us your SPM manufacturer and model number)

Supplied on 3.5", HD floppy disk with printed User's Manual.

Hardware requirements:
IBM or PC compatible platform with VGA display or better, Operating system - DOS, Windows 3.1, Windows 95, or Windows 98.

Take a test drive!

We are 100% certain that once you see how easy is this software to use, you just would not ever want to be without owning it yourself!

But remember that SPM Calibrator Pro version 2.3 is now shipping. It incorporates several user suggestions, including a simplified user interface, flexible graph functions, and the ability to browse directories to select your files. We apologize that these features are not present in the current demo version but we hope you will keep this in mind when you evaluate the demo version of this software.

Ordering Information:

The SPM Calibrator system includes the Calibrator Pro analysis software plus one of the above pictured four high precision calibration samples (5µm images):

With	SPI #	Each

300-1D: 300 nm, 1-dimensional	09315-AB	$1026.62
700-1D: 700 nm, 1-dimensional	09317-AB	977.22

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