SBIR-STTR Award

This SBIR Phase I project will investigate the feasibility of an improved control strategy for piezoelectric positioners used in scanned-probe microscopes (SPMs) to increase their speed and reliability for nanocharacterization. Rapid nanocharacterization requires fast motion of the scanned piezo probe with sub-Angstrom vertical resolution and with frequent rapid changes in its axial position. Settling time after a change in the position has been commanded is a serious issue that currently places severe limits on speed and reliability: under present control schemes SPMs cannot be operated anywhere near the resonant frequencies of the piezo element. PIEZOMAX Technologies, Inc. proposes to test the feasibility of an improved control scheme that should allow an order of magnitude increase in scan speed of SPMs by reducing settling time. In the feasibility study the control strategy will be designed, implemented digitally, and tested on a variety of piezoelectric positioners used in SPMs. The effect of noise,passive damping, and detuning of the controller will be investigated and comparisons established with the performance of conventional SPMs. The approach should be applicable to a variety of piezoelectric positioners and thus to a broad range of applications in characterization, inspection, and nanopatterning involving scanned probes.

Keywords:
Piezoelectric Positioners; Controller; Scanned-Probe Microscope

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will fully develop a high-speed actively damped controller and piezoelectric actuator that forms the critical component of the sensor head of a new, fast, high-resolution profilometer. The head consists of the actuator, high-bandwidth sensor, and a probe. The resulting profiler will have capabilities that are not attainable with any present instrument. The Phase II development project is based on the results of a Phase I feasibility study that demonstrated that the speed of a piezoelectric actuator could be dramatically improved with a control system, proprietary technology of PIEZOMAX Technologies, Inc., that is conceptually different from the ones presently in use. This actuator technology forms the core of the unique sensor head, which PIEZOMAX Technologies is developing in collaboration with a major semiconductor instrumentation company. PIEZOMAX Technologies is developing in collaboration with a major semiconductor instrumentation company. PIEZOMAX Technologies will develop the actuator, the control electronics, and required sensors. The Company will also develop interface software and protocols for integrating the components of the profiler head with our collaborator's instrumentation. The new profiler incorporating the PIEZOMAX technology will have wide impact, in particular in semiconductor device processing, in which high-resolution, rapid surface metrology is an issue of utmost concern.

Keywords:
Piezoelectric Positioners; Controller; Scanned-Probe Microscope