Description
White Light Interferometer
Laser interferometer enable precise non-contact surface measurement and characterisation of micro- and nano-scale surface features (e.g. roughness, step height measurements, bending profiles of MEMS devices, etc.).
Keywords
Interferometer, surface, nanoscale, pysical characterisation
Specifications
Model: Zygo System
Wafer size: Prepared samples only
Temperature Range: Room Temperature
Fully Automated: Single sample only
RF on Wafer characterisation: No
Ascent+ facility
Tyndall
Platform Technologies
- Nano for Quantum Technologies
- Disruptive Devices
Key Enabling Capability
- Metrology / Characterisation: Physical characterisation
Case Study
A PhD student is developing a new family of low power optical interconnects such as modulators lasers and photo-detectors using photonic crystals patterned on deposited silicon. A thick layer of amorphous silicon is deposited using LPCVD and then annealed in forming gas, which transforms the amorphous silicon into polycrystalline silicon. High quality optical resonators are difficult to achieve due to the high surface roughness of polycrystalline silicon (~10nm). They use Chemical-Mechanical Polishing to produce a smooth and uniform poly:Si. The interferometer is used to characterise the surface roughness, which is in the sub-nanometre range.
