Abstract: Cooperated with a length-traceable three-axis interferometer measurement system, a dynamic mode atomic force micros- copy (AFM) is designed and developed. In the AFM, the three-axis interferometer measurement system is used to measure the relative displacement between the AFM probe and specimen surface. Because the x, y and z measuring axes of the interferometer system are orthogonal and intersect at a certain point near AFM probe tip, the Abbe’s error of the AFM system is avoided primarily and very high measurement accuracy is obtained. Furthermore, the three-axis interferometer system is used to feedback control the movement of stage in x and y directions. Therefore, the influences of AFM piezoelec trical elements’ demerits on lateral dimensions are elimi- nated completely. By analysis, the AFM system achieves sub-nano accuracy in the average pitch measurement of nano grating standard.

Key words: Dynamic mode atomic force microscopy, Laser interferometer, Length-traceable, Nano-metrology