Fast Broadband Scanning Microwave Microscopy (FABSMM)
Automation, Mechatronics, Control Systems, Intelligent Technical Systems, Robotics
Image and Language Processing, Computer Graphics and Visualisation, Human Computer Interaction, Ubiquitous and Wearable Computing
Data Management, Data-Intensive Systems, Computer Science Methods in Business Informatics
Electronic Semiconductors, Components and Circuits, Integrated Systems, Sensor Technology, Theoretical Electrical Engineering
Microsystems
Final Report Abstract
The addition of the time domain option to the current SMM setup is operational and the measurements were demonstrated on the reference sample of nanodot capacitances. Due to the lack of time further samples could not be investigated. However, the results are encouraging to use this instrument for better understanding of the microwave properties of semiconducting samples by exploiting SMM. Different scan patterns were integrated into the system. It was established that a linear pattern was the most efficient one and if used in conjunction with neural network and skipping one line, could double the scan speed. FEM simulations by using state of the art simulation tool Ansys HFSS was used to verify measurement of the samples. Quantitative analysis of samples for similar dimensions of gold dots were also performed and more information about increasing the speed of the SMM setup was acquired. SMM reveals high potential for material science and the semiconductor industry. Especially Broadband SMM could become a standard method to detect buried materials and defects, and to characterize materials electrically in a nondestructive way due to its ability to gain significantly more information about the sample in one scan. The slow SMM scanning process becomes even slower when a number of frequencies are to be scanned. This makes it less suitable for industrial applications which will lead towards mass deployment. It also makes it difficult to implement in the analysis of biological samples and moving objects since they can be impacted by vibration, temperature change and drift due to environmental conditions. As an example, before the implementation of the FABSMM project, optimized scans of materials could not be obtained in a reasonable time. The height control implemented in the project helps in reducing the number of crashes of the cantilever on the device under test resulting in significant saving of measurement durations. In the near future, the system will be used to scan 2D materials with phase/conductivity changing capabilities for microwave component applications like antennas and phase shifters. The FABSMM project has led to the addition of a new dimension to the instrumentation combining an SEM, an SMM with time domain and height calibration as well as the possibility of FEM simulation and quantitative analysis of calibrated capacitances.The measurements performed at a single point, AFM scans, and time domain measurements are all consistent for the gold dots. These results bring promising perspectives for nanoscale microwave measurement beyond the present state of the art. Further projects will benefit of the new instrumentation concept.
Publications
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Evaluation of the Systematic Error for Scanning Microwave Microscopy Following an In-Situ Broadband Calibration Procedure. 2022 IEEE MTT-S International Conference on Numerical Electromagnetic and Multiphysics Modeling and Optimization (NEMO), 1-3. IEEE.
Gaudet, Matthieu; Mead, James; Haenssler, Olaf C. & Fatikow, Sergej
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Artificial Enhanced Image Inpainting for Broadband SMM. 2024 International Conference on Manipulation, Automation and Robotics at Small Scales (MARSS), 1-6. IEEE.
Wieghaus, Markus F.; Saeed, Warda & Yasir, Muhammad
