STM OBSERVATION OF GRATING SURFACES

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Abstract
Three dimensional topographic images of optical grating surfaces have been obtained by the use of an STM. The STM can measure the grating surfaces in detail in air without touching the surfaces. The shape of an STM image is deformed from that of the real surface in some respects due to the finite radius of curvature, R, of the pointed probe tip. Reference figures, each of which shows the resultant STM shape of the image corresponding to a real surface having a certain set of values of blaze angle, θ, and apex angle, ϕ, have been prepared. With the aid of these figures, we could estimate, conversely, values of θ and ϕ, in addition to R of the tip used, from the STM image obtained. The possible ambiguities in the estimation were also discussed. Thus, θ and ϕ values of gratings with line densities of 1,200 ~ 18,000 line/mm have been measured with errors of less than 10%. This conducting method with the use of an STM and reference figures may be very effective in the inspection of surfaces fabricated by submicron machining in general.

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