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Microanalysis of AFM Tips Coated with Cerium Oxide

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 July 2020

Shelley R. Gilliss
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota 421 Washington Ave, Minneapolis, MN55455-01432
Jeffrey K. Fairer
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota 421 Washington Ave, Minneapolis, MN55455-01432
N. Ravishankar
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota 421 Washington Ave, Minneapolis, MN55455-01432
Mark G. Schwabel
Affiliation:
3M Company, 3M Center, Building 251-3B-13, Saint Paul, MN55144, USA
C. Barry Carter
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota 421 Washington Ave, Minneapolis, MN55455-01432
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Abstract

Cerium oxide is widely used for chemomechanical polishing (CMP) of silicate glasses. Uses include finishing of optical elements and planarizing dielectrics in the semiconductor industry. This study is designed to investigate the fundamentals of the cerium oxide/silica CMP process by measuring the interaction force between silicate glasses and cerium oxide. Surface forces involved in the polishing of glass by a cerium oxide abrasive can be studied in a controlled manner by measuring sample-tip interactions between a glass substrate and a cerium oxide tip in an atomic force microscope (AFM). Commercially available AFM tips have been coated with thin, uniform films of cerium oxide. By using a square pyramid tip as a template for the shape of the cerium oxide film, challenges related to irregular or blunt tip shape can be overcome. However, complete characterization of structure, shape and chemical composition is required before useful information can be obtained using the AFM.

Type
Thin Films & Coatings
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America 2001

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References

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2. Kotula, P.K. and Carter, C.B., 2nd International Conf. on Laser Ablation,28S(1994)231236.Google Scholar

3. This research is supported by 3M, Inc. The authors thank Prof. Stan Erlandsen at the Dept. of Cell Biology and Neuroanatomy for access to the FESEM and Chris Frethem for technical support on the instrument.Google Scholar