Development of a silicon-based nanoprobe system for 3-D measurements

A small 3-D probe system was developed based on sensing the bending of elas tic hinges carrying the probe stylus. The stylus platform and elastic hinge s are etched in silicon. On the elastic hinges, piezoresistive straingages are integrated, including the necessary wiring, The 3-D measurement range i s about one hundred micrometres in each direction and the repeatability is at the nanometre level. Several prototypes of these MEMS-type probe were re alised in IC-technology successfully. Calibrations with a displacement gene rator based on laser interferometry reveal typical repeatabilities in the n anometre level and a 3-D uncertainty of the order of 25 nm.