At a glance
| Booth | R7724 |
| Country | CH |
| Website | www.nanosurf.com/en |
Company profile
Nanosurf AG is a premier provider of atomic force microscopy systems and offers versatile research-grade atomic force microscopes for different types of users and requirements. The company focuses on challenges at the frontier of what is physically achievable and concentrates its efforts on obstacles that stand in the way of advances in nanotechnology so researchers can push boundaries in their fields of science. For industrial customers, Nanosurf AG integrates scanning probe technology into manufacturing value chains by creating custom machines that fit into customer manufacturing processes and are tailored to individual needs. Those bespoke industrial solutions are intended not only to meet unique client requirements but also to enhance efficiency and precision in production lines where the scanning probe technology is integrated. Established in 1997, Nanosurf AG defined ease of use in scanning probe microscopy by miniaturizing a scanning probe microscope to a size that could fit on a coffee table, an early milestone in the company's development. Since that milestone, the Swiss-based company says it has matured into one of the leading innovators in atomic force microscopy, making AFM innovation central to its stated identity. Nanosurf AG provides continually evolving instrument platforms for academic researchers and for industry applications in life science and materials science, covering both research and applied environments. Its industrial activities also include large-scale customized solutions for use in production lines with very demanding accuracy specifications, extending its work beyond laboratory instruments into production integration. The company continues to develop new measurement modes and technologies intended to make atomic force microscopes easier, faster, and more reliable as measurement tools. Nanosurf AG also aims to bring atomic force microscopy into an increasing range of application areas by making the technique more accessible and intuitive to new users, in a manner comparable to more common technologies such as optical microscopy.
Exhibits
Nanosurf AG provides atomic force microscopy systems and a variety of versatile research-grade atomic force microscopes for different user types and measurement requirements. For semiconductor research, the Drive AFM combines WaveMode technology with advanced electrical measurement functionalities to provide a toolkit for investigating semiconductor materials, structures, and processes. The Drive AFM is tailored for small samples and is intended for early exploration of novel materials, structures, or processes before work moves to wafer-scale production, while its compact design helps optimize laboratory space. Nanosurf AG describes AFM as an indispensable tool in semiconductor research and industry because sub-nanometer resolution, true topographic information, and local investigation of electrical properties can address increasing precision and resolution requirements as chip features shrink. For wafer roughness, AFM maps roughness at sub-angstrom levels so semiconductor engineers can quantify roughness, detect localized variations, and correlate surface conditions with device behavior for process optimization toward smoother surfaces. For defect review and failure analysis, high-resolution AFM imaging can visualize and characterize very small surface defects, while specialized AFM modes can map electrical properties of individual features and reveal variations in dopant density that influence device behavior. For critical-dimension control, AFM provides high-resolution direct imaging of wafer-surface features and supports non-destructive measurement of line width, spacing, and feature height across different material layers. The Alphacen 300 Drive is an AFM system tailored to stringent semiconductor-industry requirements, and its WaveMode supports fast, low-noise surface-roughness measurements for metrology challenges in semiconductor production. Nanosurf AG also offers tailored characterization tools and automation and engineering services that go beyond standard system control and sample formats for industrial measurement and analysis needs. These industrial solutions are relevant to wafer production, cleaning and polishing technologies, and photolithography using very short wavelengths ranging from DUV down to EUV, where the semiconductor supply chain may require alternative tools for product-quality assurance. Across these applications, the company's semiconductor AFM offering addresses wafer roughness, defect review and failure analysis, critical dimensions, electrical-property mapping, and customized industrial metrology within research, process development, and production workflows. AFM is described as a material-independent technique for critical-dimension work, and its direct, non-destructive measurements help engineers maintain precise CD control across the different layers of a complex chip. In failure analysis, Nanosurf AG notes that even very small semiconductor-surface defects can have a catastrophic impact on device functionality, which is why high-resolution visualization and characterization are important in the defect-review workflow.
Capabilities and products
- research-grade atomic force microscopes (AFM)
- semiconductor AFM surface-roughness measurement
- AFM semiconductor defect review and failure analysis
- AFM non-destructive line-width, spacing and height measurement
- AFM mapping of local electrical properties
- custom industrial AFM characterization tools