Abstract: The quantitative measurement of electrical conductivity plays a key role in ensuring material performance, improving yield and fabrication process. The four-points AFM probe technique is applied for the purpose of quantitatively measuring local conductivities of the 99.999% aluminum wires and 350 nm thickness and different widths of 600 nm, 2.0 µm, 5.0 µm, 25.0 µm and 50.0 µm. As position the width and thickness of the specimen is very close to the minimum distance of the electrodes, we consider the factors that affect the measurement accuracy, such as size, diversity of parameter and precision in processing and position error of the four-points AFM probe, modify the calculation model of conductivity and extend the traditional four-electrode conductivity measurements to the sub-micron level. The repeatability of conductivity measurements indicates that this four-point AFM probe technique could be used for fast in situ characterization of local electrical properties of nanocircuits and nanodevices.

Key words: Four-points AFM probe technique, Geometrical effect, Local electrical conductivity, Submicron metallic wire