Technical integration – AFM

The package include the technical integration of an AFM into an imaging ellipsometern of the nanofilm_ep3 series.
Take advantage of the convenience of imaging ellipsometry to visualize thin films and surface structures, and then zoom into nanometer details with Scanning Probe Microscopy on the same spot!

The integration is done by an intelligent sample handling, integrating complementary data from two independent methods without the need for laborious sample positioning.

The technical integration of a Scanning Probe microscope enables the user to:

• measure the same field of view with imaging ellipsometer and scanning probe microscope
• observe nano-steps in the live contrast-image of the ellipsometer, draw your region of interest around the nano-steps, and record surface film thickness, profiles/maps with nanofilm_ep3 (large field of view, quick) or by the AFM (submicron lateral resolution, slow ~ 3 min for an 80 µm by 80 µm scan)
• map thickness and optical properties (refractive index/extintion) and 3D-profile/surface-roughness at the same sopt on a sample within minutes, due to software-controlled sample transport between imaging ellipsometer and Atomic force microscope with smaller than 20 µm accuracy and 2 µm repeatability