In-situ monitoring of electron beam induced deposition by atomic force microscopy in a scanning electron microscope

A new type of atomic force microscope is proposed for atomic force microscopic analysis inside a scanning electron microscope. We attached a piezoresisitive atomic force microscopic cantilever to a micro manipulator to achieve a compact and guidable setup, so that the tip can be positioned under observation of the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) system. Another manipulator and a glass drain tube serve as a precise local gas injection system for organometallic vapour. Electron beam induced deposition of tungstenhexacarbonyl is carried out at a global chamber pressure of 2 (.) 10(-5) mbar or less. Characterization of the directly patterned tungsten carbide structures according to deposition rate and dotsize or linewidth is done by combination of atomic force microscopy and SEM analysis for different electron energies, exposure doses and stepsize of pattern generator. A deposition rate of 1550 nm/(nC/dot) and 10 900 nm/(nC/nm) for dot and line deposition, respectively, and a dotsize and linewidth in the range of 20 to 25 nm have been obtained. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.