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Calibration of Electron Microscopes: How to do this, how often, pit-falls and problems

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 March 2018

Michael T. Postek
Michael T. Postek*
Affiliation:
National Institute of Standards and Technology1
*
postek@nist.gov

Extract

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SEM Instrument calibration is something most people don't always realize they need to do. Images look about right so the magnification seems close enough. Today, measurements are being done in specialized scanned beam metrology instruments everyday, so correct magnification calibration is very important. Calibration is probably more acknowledged from the point of the transmission electron microscope than for the scanning microscope. But, it still needs to be done. Today, people can buy SEM's that cost around $100,000 (refurbished ones somewhat less) to $2.5M with one instrument model from one manufacturer costing about $8M. Believe it or not, often the instrument buyer thinks that as soon as they get the instrument into their facility (since it is new and they paid a lot of money for it) that it is perfect and everything is correct.

Type
Research Article
Information
Microscopy Today , Volume 10 , Issue 5 , September 2002 , pp. 26 - 30
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America 2002

Footnotes

1

Contribution of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. This work was supported (in part) by the National Semiconductor Metrology Program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology; not subject to copyright.

References

Endnotes:

2. Postek, M. T. and Joy, D. C. 1987. Submicrometer Microelectronics Dimensional Metrology: Scanning Electron Microscopy. NBS Journal of Research 92 (3): 205–228 Google Scholar

3. Postek, M.T., Vladar, A. E., Jones, S. N. and Keery, W. J. 1993. Scanning electron microscope magnification calibration interlaboratory study MSA Proceedings 776-777.Google Scholar

4. Postek, M.T., Vladar, A. E., Jones, S. N. and Keery, W. J., 1993. Report on the NIST Low Accelerating Voltage SEM Magnification Standard Interlaboratory Study. Proceedings SPIE 1926:268–286.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

5. Postek, M.T., Vladar, A. E., Jones, S. and Keery, W. J. 1993. Interlaboratory study on the lithographically produced scanning electron microscope magnification standard prototype. NIST J. Res 98:447–467.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed

6. Postek, M.T. 1989. Scanning Electron Microscope-based Metrological Electron Microscope System and New Prototype SEM Magnification Standard. Scanning Microscopy 3(4):1087–1099.Google Scholar

7. Postek, M.T., Vladar, A. E. and Viltarrubia, J.. 2000. Is a production critical scanning electron microscope linewidth standard possible? Proc. SPIE 3988:42–56.CrossRefGoogle Scholar