The Topografiner An Instrument Formeasuring Surface Microtopography-Report

The Topografiner: An Instrument for
Measuring Surface Microtopography

Russell Young, John Ward, and Fredric Scire, 1972.
Introduction:
According to R. Young and John Ward, during the 70s, surface scientists prepared and studied surfaces
of very small area which they believed either to be atomically perfect or to contain a small density of
single or multiple atom steps (3—10 A). The characterization of these surfaces was not supported by
measurements of surface topography. Surface metrologists prepared and measured the profiles of large
surfaces that are flat on the 25 Å level, without understanding the impact of physical and chemical
surface processes on these measurements. Hence they developed a noncontacting instrument for
measuring the microtopography of metallic surfaces is known as a Topografiner, 1972.
The finish of ceramic substrates for integrated circuits and single crystal silicon wafers is of vital interest
to the growing electronics industry. Instrument shafts and bearings utilizing extremely thin dry film
lubricants require a high quality surface finish. The light scattering characteristic of reflecting optics in
the ultraviolet region is determined by the surface finish of the coating. It made the characterization of
the "single crystal surfaces" on an atomic
level useful.
There are four essential elements of a

scanning probe microscope that distinguish it
from other microscopes: 1) a very sharp
mechanical probe, the tip of which is
maintained in close proximity to the sample
surface; 2) detection of a surface property
that changes rapidly in the vicinity of the
surface and therefore provides a very
sensitive indicator of the tip-sample distance;
3) use of an electronic feedback system to
control the tip-sample distance or to Figure 1.Scanning the tip across a surface.
maintain a controlled low-force contact—

essential to prevent damage to the sharp tip; and 4) the ability to position the tip with respect to the
sample in three dimensions with sub-nanometer resolution, as for example through the use of
piezoelectric devices.
Principle of Operation:
A field emitter with a typical radius of 100—10 000 Å is used to scan the surface of a specimen which is
mounted between two heavy cooper clamps. A constant current is being passed through the emitter,
the electric field strength at the emitter surface is fixed by the Fowler—Nordheim (FN) equation.
J = (1.54X 1O-6F / φ) exp[-6.83X 107 φ3/2 v(y)/FJ A/cm2 ,

i=JA A
V=αF V
where J is the emission current density, F is the field strength in
V /cm, φ is the work function of the emitting surface in eV, v(y)
is a slowly varying function of φ and F, i is the total emitted
current, A is the effective emitter area, V is the applied
potential, and α is the proportionality constant between F and
V.
Laplace's equation is used to predict the field strength cm
between the emitter and the specimen, and the relationship

between the emitter-to-specimen spacing and the emitter-to-
specimen voltage. The voltage between the emitter and the
specimen is amplified and applied to a piezoelectric ceramic
element which acts as an actuator which is used to displace the
emitter to maintain a constant distance between the emitter
and the specimen. The piezo voltage corresponds to the
altitude of the surface. The instrument actually scans a series of
closely spaced profiles of the surface and plots them so as to give a three dimensional representation of
the surface microtopography. The most important Figure 2. The Topografiner
characteristic of the instrument is that the probe does not
contact the surface and cause damage.
Construction and Working of Topografiner
The specimen is mounted between two heavy spring loaded copper clamps. A differential screw is used
to make fine adjustment of the specimen assembly by 0.254 mm. The emitter support assembly consists
of two 1.0 mm molybdenum rods clamped in a boron nitride holder. The tungsten emitter is
electrochemically etched from a 0.1 mm wire and is spot welded to two 0.125 mm molybdenum
bridges. The two bridges support the emitter rigidly. The emitter assembly, mounted on a flexible post
supported by the vertical piezo, is moved perpendicular to the specimen surface by the vertical piezo.
The piezo actuator consists of a stack of five piezo disks 4.8 mm thick spaced by gold wire rings with
alternate rings electrically connected. Piezoelectric ceramic materials expand and contract with applied
voltage, producing continuously controllable motion with subnanometer resolution and a typical range
of a few micrometers. The vertical stack is clamped with two phosphor bronze leaf springs.
The X and Y direction scan piezos deflects the rod supporting the emitter thus producing motion of the
emitter in the plane of the specimen. The topographic images, the voltage applied to this piezo was
recorded with either an x-y recorder or a storage oscilloscope during scanning. The topografiner was
rigidly attached to its vacuum chamber. Vibration isolation was all external and was mounted on a
vibration isolation table and enclosed by an acoustical shield.
Results
The instrument has been shown to conform to the Fowler—Nordheim description of field emission
while spaced at the usual operating distances from the surface.
Figure 2(b) Topographic map recorded on a

Figure 2(a) Topographic map of a 180 memory oscilloscope of a disturbed region.
line/mm diffraction grating replica. This map Mapping time—9 min.
was made using an X—V recorder.
Applications
Topografiner has various applications such as its use in surface science experiments to study the density
of single and multiple atom steps on single crystal surfaces, adsorption of gases, and processes involving
electronic excitations at surfaces. It can also be used for the finish of ceramic substrates for integrated
circuits as single crystal silicon wafers is of vital interest to the growing electronics industry. Instrument
shafts and bearings with involves very thin film lubricants require a high quality surface finish.
References
 The Topografiner: An Instrument for Measuring Surface Microtopography by Russell Young,

John Ward, and Fredric Scire, 1972.
 Symposium on the Science of Ceramic Machining and Surface Finishing, National Bureau of
Standards, Gaithersburg, Md., 1970.
 R. D. Young, Field Emission Ultramicrometer, Rev. Sci. Instrum., 1966.
 R. D. Young, Surface microtopography, Phys. Today, 1971.
 National Institute of Standards and Technology (unknown source)

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The Topografiner: An Instrument for

Measuring Surface Microtopography

There are four essential elements of a

maintain a controlled low-force contact—

J = (1.54X 1O-6F / φ) exp[-6.83X 107 φ3/2 v(y)/FJ A/cm2 ,

Laplace's equation is used to predict the field strength cm

between the emitter and the specimen, and the relationship

Construction and Working of Topografiner

Figure 2(b) Topographic map recorded on a

 The Topografiner: An Instrument for Measuring Surface Microtopography by Russell Young,

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