Objective Summary There are now 200 scanning probe microscopes (SPM) installed in Europe and the number is rapidly increasing. This new class of universal 3 coordinate measurement machines, which give direct images of the topography of surfaces in the range 0.1 nm - 100 uM, has many industrial and scientific applications. One very important industrial application is the measurement of micro roughness and micro hardness of surfaces which becomes increasingly important in the motor and tool manufacturing industry but also for advanced integrated circuit manufacturing. However, to be valuable as a measurement instrument the SPM needs to be properly calibrated, a task which is not possible now, if proper traceability to the metre definition is required. The purpose of the project is to produce and certify several sets of transfer standards, which can be used to calibrate the three orthogonal axes x, y) and of scanning probe microscopes (x, y are the two horizontal axes, is the vertical axis). The transfer standards shall have a regular three-dimensional pattern on the surface with known characteristic spacing (called pitch) in the x and y directions and a known step height in the z direction. The pitches and step heights shall cover the range from 3 nm to 30 uM and shall be measured with traceability to the metre definition. With this set of transfer standards any SPM can be calibrated under all measurement conditions. The selected set of artefacts will be calibrated using well accepted techniques. The local variations of pitch and step height over the surface of the transfer standard (the variations should be kept as small as possible) will be determined. The calibration package will include an algorithm for the calculation of the calibration parameters, including the associated uncertainty. In the design of the package, ease of use will be emphasised, making the package useful to industrial SPM users in particular. Measurement standards will be produced by using the cross-section of structures of alternating layers grown by molecular beam epitaxy, electron beam lithography, holography and advanced integrated circuit manufacturing technology. A flat standard will be manufactured from a single crystal of mica, a natural mineral. The calibration will be done with documented traceability by a combination of optical and interference microscopy, profilometry, SPM, light diffraction and x-ray diffraction. After the project the standards will be sold by the commission as a reference material. If approved by the Commission, the partners will also be ready to sell the calibration packages. Fields of science natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyplanetary sciencesplanetary geologynatural sciencesphysical sciencesopticsmicroscopy Keywords Nanotechnology Programme(s) FP4-SMT - Specific research and technological development programme in the field of standards, measurements and testing, 1994-1998 Topic(s) 01 - Measurements for quality European products Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator DANISH INSTITUTE OF FUNDAMENTAL METROLOGY EU contribution No data Address 1,Matematiktorvet 307 2800 LYNGBY Denmark See on map Total cost No data Participants (4) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all Bundesrepublik Deutschland Germany EU contribution No data Address 100,Bundesallee 100 38116 Braunschweig See on map Total cost No data Ibsen Micro Structures A/S Denmark EU contribution No data Address 399,CAT, Frederiksborgvej 399 4000 Roskilde See on map Total cost No data NanoSensors Dr. Olaf Wolter GmbH Germany EU contribution No data Address 6,IMO Building 6 35578 Wetzlar See on map Total cost No data National Physical Laboratory (NPL) United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address Queen's Road TW11 0LW Teddington See on map Total cost No data