Olaf C. Haenssler

Modularized SPM-controller based on an FPGA for combined AFM and SMM measurements

This paper presents the design and implementation of a hardware/software controller system for combined atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning microwave microscopy (SMM) measurements. The purpose of the system is to connect and control existing components (e. g. any AFM scanner and vector network analyzer (VNA)), thus enhancing their functionality. Therefore, the system is of highly modular design. The base board offers multiple slots with a predefined piggy-back interface for different I/O components like digital-to-analog converters (DAC). Instead of hardwiring the overall connections, an field programmable gate array (FPGA) is used. An evaluation shows the superiority of the system in comparison to the state-of-the-art, despite the early stage of development.

Test standard for light, electron and microwave microscopy to enable robotic processes

We report on a test standard for different microscopic techniques combined onto one substrate. The patterns of the test standard are recognizable by image processing routines to provide robotic navigation inside Scanning Electron Microscopes. Here it can be used for high-resolution and astigmatism testing. In the center of this standard is a pattern of three different micro capacitance values. This enables high frequency calibration with a Vector Network Analyzer (VNA), one core element of Scanning Microwave Microscopes.

Automated robotic manipulation of individual sub-micro particles using a dual probe setup inside the scanning electron microscope

Micro- and nanosized objects aligned in specific spatial order are of great interest for applications in photonics and nanoelectronics. In particular, piezo-actuated robotic setups are promising tools to arrange and manipulate these objects individually. However, automated robotic processing on the sub-micron scale remains challenging due to the force scaling laws and the limited possibilities in terms of control. This paper presents the current progress on fully-automated pick-and-place routines of individual colloidal particles using a dedicated dual-probe setup inside a scanning electron microscope. Applying tailored probes in combination with image processing of the visual feedback provided by the microscope allow for complex automation sequences. The limits of the current technique are highlighted and the challenges for automated processing of progressively smaller particles are discussed.

Integration of a Scanning Microwave Microscope and a Scanning Electron Microscope: Towards a new instrument to imaging, characterizing and manipulating at the nanoscale

The author reports on the concept and design of a hybrid microscope by embedding different microscopy systems in a nanoautomation environment. A Scanning Microwave Microscope incorporated in the vacuum chamber of a Scanning Electron Microscope with a Focused Ion Beam will be capable of imaging the topography, measuring the electromagnetic properties at microwave frequencies and manipulating “samples under test”. By simultaneously detecting secondary electrons coming out of the probing area, the observer will get additionally a live overview while measuring Scattering Parameters and surface topography. This hybrid instrument will be script-controlled inside an automation software framework to allow imaging, characterizing and manipulating in defined sequences on an open-source basis.

Multimodal imaging technology by integrated scanning electron, force, and microwave microscopy and its application to study microscaled capacitors

Extracting simultaneously multimodal nanoscale specimen information, by an integrated microscopy technology, is in the focus of this report. The combination of multiple imaging techniques allows for obtaining complementary and often unique datasets of samples under test. An instrumental setup operating under high-vacuum conditions inside the chamber of a scanning electron microscope (SEM), as a platform fusing various microscopy methods, techniques and processes, illustrates the potential of such multimodal technology. An atomic force microscope based on a compact optical interferometer performs imaging of surface topographies and a scanning microwave microscope records electromagnetic properties in the microwave frequency domain at the same time and spot. An open-source software framework, tailored for vision-based automation by nanorobotics, controls the instrument. The setup allows for simultaneously observing the region-of-interest with SEM resolution, while imaging and characterizing with evanescent microwaves and atomic forces. To validate the approach an analysis of microscale capacitors is included.Extracting simultaneously multimodal nanoscale specimen information, by an integrated microscopy technology, is in the focus of this report. The combination of multiple imaging techniques allows for obtaining complementary and often unique datasets of samples under test. An instrumental setup operating under high-vacuum conditions inside the chamber of a scanning electron microscope (SEM), as a platform fusing various microscopy methods, techniques and processes, illustrates the potential of such multimodal technology. An atomic force microscope based on a compact optical interferometer performs imaging of surface topographies and a scanning microwave microscope records electromagnetic properties in the microwave frequency domain at the same time and spot. An open-source software framework, tailored for vision-based automation by nanorobotics, controls the instrument. The setup allows for simultaneously observing the region-of-interest with SEM resolution, while imaging and characterizing with evanescent ...

Near-field scanning millimeter-wave microscope combined with a scanning electron microscope

The design, fabrication and experimental validation of a novel near-field scanning millimeter-wave microscope (NSMM) built inside a scanning electron microscope (SEM) is presented. The instrument developed can perform hybrid characterizations by providing simultaneously atomic force, complex microwave impedance and electron microscopy images of a sample with nanometer spatial resolution. By combining the measured data, the system offers unprecedentable capabilities for tackling the issue between spatial resolution and high frequency quantitative measurements.

Memristor device characterization by scanning microwave microscopy

We report memristive device characterization using near-field scanning microwave microscopy. Atomic force microscopy, magnitude and phase-shift images of the complex reflection coefficient of TiO2 devices can be acquired simultaneously in the range 1-20 GHz. In particular, measurement of the complex reflection coefficient of a 200 by 200 nm2 TiO2 device is exemplary demonstrated. These results are beneficial for electrical modeling and optimization of memristor devices to address OxRAM applications.

Combining scanning microscopy and robotics: Automated analysis and manipulation on the small scale

The ongoing miniaturization in micro- and nanotechnology requires multi-physical characterization methods on the same small scale as the materials and components are. Although many characterizations systems exist, only few approaches allow to gather several different types of information collaboratively. Furthermore, functional building blocks and devices working on the nanoscale, have to be characterized and tuned during the manufacturing process. This can be done with combined microscopic and processing systems. A software framework, which controls and acquires all units and data, is engaged and allows combined analysis and automation. This combination approach is demonstrated by several applications in microscopy, manipulation and automation on the small scale.

Towards high density biosensors for mobile diagnostics

Research studies in medicine, genetics and process monitoring technology generally go together with advances in nano-engineering. Furthermore, advances in engineering, control and automation on the nano scale first enable so far impossible studies in molecular and cellular biology. This fruitful interaction leads to the design and development of new setups and methods, which push the boundaries for possible experiments in the area of handling and manipulation of biomaterials. In our paper the latest work on two areas of this research focus is shown. 1) Within the last years, the AFM was used for the handling and manipulation of biomaterials. However, the automation to use the AFM for industrial processes needs a robust and accurate automation. In this paper we also present the latest work on the automation of AFM based methods. 2) In the future, mobile diagnostics will become more and more important. To enable robust, fast and precise systems, new methods for the design and structuring of the necessary bio-components are needed. For this, a possible approach to structure bio-components from several nm up to a few μm is presented in this paper as well. 3) First simulations and principles for the design of a new signal acquisition unit are shown, to set up diagnostic systems without complex optical setups or fluorescence dyes.