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Reproducibility of Nano- and Micro-Scale Multi-Point Probe Sheet Resistance Measurements

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2011

Christian L. Petersen ,
Daniel Worledge  and
Peter R. E. Petersen
Christian L. Petersen
Affiliation:
Capres A/S, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Daniel Worledge
Affiliation:
IBM, Yorktown Heights, NY, U.S.A.
Peter R. E. Petersen
Affiliation:
Capres A/S, Lyngby, Denmark
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Abstract

We have investigated the reproducibility of micro- and nano-scale measurements of sheet resistance performed with micro-fabricated multi-point probes. The probes consisted of Au coated SiO2 cantilevers extending from a Si base. The measurements were done with a four-point probe technique on thin Au films, the probe electrode spacing ranging from 18 μm to 1.5 μm. We find that the standard deviation of repeated sheet resistance measurements ranges from 0.2% at 18 μm spacing to 2.6% at 1.5 μm spacing. It is inversely proportional to the probe electrode spacing. This behaviour is expected if the resolution of the measurements is governed by the positional errors of the probe electrode tips. The corresponding standard deviation of the probe tip positions (in both lateral directions) is calculated to be approximately 20 nm. We argue that these positional errors depend on the probe cantilever amplitude at the time of contacting the surface. The amplitude is inversely proportional to the square root of the cantilever spring constant, indicating that stiff cantilevers give the best reproducibility. We estimate the limiting reproducibility of multi-point probes with nano-scale electrode spacing.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 738: Symposium G – Spatially Resolved Characterization of Local Phenomena in Materials and Nanostructures , 2002 , G4.3
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2003

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References

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