SummaryWe report on the fabrication, characterization and application of a probe consisting of a single gold nanoparticle for apertureless scanning near-field optical microscopy. Particles with diameters of 100 nm have been successfully and reproducibly mounted at the end of sharp glass fibre tips. We present the first optical images taken with such a probe. We have also recorded plasmon resonances of gold particles and discuss schemes for exploiting the wavelength dependence of their scattering cross-section for a novel form of apertureless scanning near-field optical microscopy.

The domain morphology of a polystyrene/poly(methyl methacrylate)/poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS/PMMA/PVP) polymer blend was studied after spin-coating a film from a common solvent. The strongly incompatible polymer mixture phase-separates during spin-coating. Atomic force microscopy, combined with selective dissolution of the different polymer phases was used to obtain information on the polymer distribution in the film. By changing the relative composition of the mixture, a great variety of different morphologies was observed. The common feature of all observed morphologies is the compatibilizing function of poly(methyl methacrylate), which intercalates between the more incompatible polystyrene and polyvinylpyridine domains to prevent the formation of high-energy interfaces.

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The effort to produce perfect dimension repairs of quartz bump defects on Alternating-Aperture Phase Shift Masks (AAPSM) has been brought to a new level with process developments to meet 90 nm technology node specifications. Decreasing photomask line and space dimensions pushes performance requirements for a mask repair system in terms of fine control in difficult to access structures on the mask surface. New repair strategies using a recently improved focused ion beam mask repair system for different defect types are discussed, along with their relative effectiveness. These strategies are then applied to the repair of full height extension and bridging defects in a line and space array. The role of quartz topography and its optical effects, Cr edge bias, and the combination of both strategies in a quartz bump repair are discussed. Additionally, effective process controls in repair are also discussed, along with analysis of metrology data received from a stylus nano-profilometer (SNP) system, and their relationship to potential imaging on the wafer by examination of AIMS data at a high numerical aperture. Several possible mask repair process flows are also reviewed in light of this work.Keywords: alternating aperture phase shift mask repair, AAPSM, focused ion beam mask repair, FIB, stylus nanoprofilometry, SNP, quartz bump repair.