Nanomachining method and apparatus

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for nanomachining operations. Excitation energy settings are provided to minimize machine induced scan cutting. Cut operations can be operated in a feedback mode to provide controlled cutting operations. Measurement and sweep techniques to facilitate nanomachining operations are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . In a nanomachining system having an SPM scanning probe and a translation apparatus coupled to provide translational motion of the SPM scanning probe, a method for moving material disposed at a first location of a workpiece comprising:
 (a) positioning the SPM scanning probe to a start position proximate the first location;   (b) adjusting the SPM scanning probe along the Z-direction to a Z-direction position;   (c) translating the SPM scanning probe along a first vector away from the first location to move at least a portion of the material to a second location; and   repeating steps (a) through (c) using at least a second vector.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the second vector effects movement of another portion of the material to the second location. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first location is a region of the workpiece being nanomachined and the material is debris produced by a nanomachining operation. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, in step (c), the scanning probe moves away from the first location on a line of motion that is substantially straight. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, in step (c), the scanning probe moves away from the first location on a line of motion having a zig-zag pattern. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein steps (a) through (c) are performed along the first vector for a first plurality of sweeps and steps (a) through (c) are performed along the second vector for a second plurality of sweeps, the first along the first vector having a direction that is about 180° relative to the along the first vector. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein steps (a) through (c) are performed along a third along the first vector for a third plurality of sweeps and steps (a) through (c) are performed along a fourth along the first vector for a fourth plurality of sweeps, wherein each of the vectors is about 90° or about 180° relative to the other vectors. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the Z-direction position is located on the surface of the workpiece. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the Z-direction position is located above the surface of the workpiece. 
     
     
         10 . In a nanomachining system having an SPM scanning probe and a translation apparatus coupled to provide translational motion of the SPM scanning probe, a method for moving material from a region of a workpiece comprising:
 (a) positioning the SPM scanning probe at a sweep-start position in the region, the sweep-start position lying on a reference line, the reference line being one of one or more reference lines passing through an origin location disposed in the region;   (b) adjusting the SPM scanning probe along the Z-direction to a first Z-direction position;   (c) translating the SPM scanning probe in a direction substantially orthogonal to the reference line on which the sweep-start position lies; and   repeating steps (a)-(c) using different sweep-start positions, each sweep-start position lying along one of the one or more reference lines.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the region is a region being nanomachined. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein, in step (c), the scanning probe moves away from the sweep-start position along a substantially straight line of motion. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein, in step (c), the scanning probe moves away from the sweep-start position along a line of motion having a zig-zag pattern. 
     
     
         14 . In an SPM microscopy system having an SPM scanning probe and a translation apparatus coupled to provide translational motion of the SPM scanning probe, a method for manipulating material on a surface of a workpiece comprising:
 positioning the SPM scanning probe at a first position on the workpiece, the first position having disposed thereat an amount of material;   adjusting the SPM scanning probe along the Z-axis to a first Z-position relative to the amount of material;   translating the SPM scanning probe in an X-Y direction of movement to move at least a portion of material to a second position; and   applying an amount of energy to the material to effect a physical change in the material.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the amount of material to be moved is obtained by performing a nanomachining operation on a structure in the vicinity of the first position. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the structure is an area of surface in the vicinity of the first position. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the material is one of chrome, quartz, silicon, an oxide of silicon, silicon nitride, and carbon. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the energy is heat energy sufficient to integrate the material with constituent material at the second position. 
     
     
         19 . A method for operating a nanomachining system having a scanning probe, the method comprising:
 collecting first information indicative of topological features of a surface of a workpiece;   performing one or more processing steps on the workpiece, the processing steps subjecting the surface to changes in its topology thereby producing one or more positive surface features;   translating the scanning probe over the surface using the first information; and   cutting the one or more positive surface features from the surface of the workpiece, the positive surface features being identified based on the first information.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the translating includes obtaining Z-direction measurements and comparing the Z-direction measurements with a corresponding Z-direction data contained in the first information, the positive surface features being identified based on a result of the comparison.