A newly developed three-dimensional profile scanner with nanometer spatial resolution

Demands for characterization of three dimensional (3D) micro-geometries and surface topographies over a large area have recently increased in many industries. This paper presents a newly developed 3D profile measuring machine with a nanometer spatial resolution. The machine developed is composed of an active vibration isolating system, a planar nano-motion table system driven by voice coil motors, a vertical nano-motion platform driven by a hybrid actuator, and a probing system based on the scanning tunneling microscopy principle. Performance evaluation results confirm that the machine can be successfully conducted the characterization of micro-geometries and surface topographies.