Department 5.1 Surface Metrology is developing tactile silicon micro probes applicable for high speed scanning, MEMS micro probes for measuring mechanical surface properties, is modeling optical microscopes aiming at a better understanding of optical roughness metrology, and is developing procedures to produce crystalline silicon standards applicable in nanometrology. 

Furthermore, the department is in charge of the calibration of

 step height and depth setting standards

 roughness standards

 hardness reference blocks

 the layer thickness

 the resistant to bending of cantilevers and of the stiffness of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) 

This Department …

• participates in the elaboration of standards and directives for surface metrology in national (VDI, DKD, DIN) and international committees (ISO, IMEKO),
• pursues and supports the development of standards and reference objects in the field of surface metrology, i.e. for tactile and optical procedures and for methods using scanning force microscopes, as well as for hardness and layer thickness metrology,
• is active in the field of research and development of new measuring instruments and measurement procedure as well as algorithms for the analysis and evaluation of data.

Profilscanner with Si-microprobe

Fast surface measurements (roughness, E-module, hardness, deposits) with Si microprobes in injection nozzles.

Light-induced force

Proof of the theoretically predicted light attraction between coplanar plates with small distance.

Mono-atomic step-height standards

Processing procedure and measurement capabilities on mono-atomic steps on otherwise atomically smooth Si surfaces.

Lateral resolution standards

Geometry, manufacture, measurement and evaluation procedure of lateral resolution standards for microscopy and tactile measurement procedures.

Software developement for roughness parameter determination

Development of software for determination of the roughness parameters from surface measurements.

Development of a New Probetip Characterizer

In cooperation with Department 5.2 Dimensional Nanometrology a material measure of silicon with grooves of very sharp rectangular edges has been developed to measure the tip radius of tactile probes. Radius and shape of probe tips can either be determined by the tip's entrance depth into the grooves of varying width or by analysing the transfer characteristics of the edge transitions.