Specific Process Knowledge/Characterization/Optical microscope/Nikon Eclipse L200 auto scan guide

The Nikon Eclipse L200 series mikroscopes can autoscan a wafer to image the entire wafer.

The mini guide below shows one way of setting this up. The guide is setup for a full wafer scan of a 6" wafer which takes app. 4-6 hours to scan and gives app. 5000 images of 3-4MB each (at 10x Objective), hence fills a lot of storage. It is recommended to store the data on the temporary folder in the C-drive and move the images (e.g., to the cleanroom drive) as soon as possible or risk getting it deleted.

To run this auto scan a macro is required. DTU Nanolab has a template courtesy of Bjarke Sørensen Jessen and adapted for 2" wafers in 2019 by Chanju Kim. However, Bjarke and Chanju are not available for support and any questions or issues should be brought up with Nanolab staff. Bjarke's macro and a powerpoint presentation with Chanju's workflow are found on LabManager under Documents/Technical Documents. Chanju's macros can be found by staff in the O-drive under Intern/Equipment groups/Characterization/Optical microscopes - ask a Nanolab employee to help you find them.

Procedure

• Login to the microscope, place sample on stage, and open NIS-elements software (choose USB version to activate camera)
  • If backside illumination is needed click DIA on microscope and do not place a tissue underneath sample
• Click "Devices", "Manage Devices" - disable z-drive (to minimize risk of destroying the objectives) - close "Devices", click "Initialize stage"
• Click "Devices", "Manage Devices" - enable z-drive again - close "Devices"
• Press F11: DS fill settings needed, click "Commands", "Save/Load settings"
• Use the 5x objective to look at the flat, and adjust the rotation of the sample by correcting the sample according to the rotation on screen (over the full flat)
• Open the macro - it is called "6inchWaferScan - v2" and is found under Technical Documents in LabManager.
• Manually scan the edge of the wafer with the 5x objective and find the "middle" of the right/left edge. See powerpoint presentation "OM image stitching work flow for Nikon Eclipse L200" under Documents in LabManager.
  • In the lower right corner of the screen, the X-axis and Y-axis are denoted in mm.
  • Write the Y-axis value in the macro under Y-center but in um - this value is the Y-axis center (Y=0!)
• Repeat the process for the x-coordinate by using the top of the wafer (opposite to the flat) to the find middle, which is the X-axis center. Write this value in the macro at X-center.
• In the macro set images between auto focus under "focost =10" - 10 is a good average, so it does not take too long and also does not go out of focus.
• Save the macro - give it a new name and place in your folder
• Click "Devices", "Autofocus setup": Step: 10, range 100 um. Click "test" to see the motor is working, then click "Save and Close"
• Click "File", "Save next options": give your images a name under: Prefix, select location at: eg. C:\Temp2, number the images as: Next file: 0, click "Apply"
• Change to objective 10x
• To get very uniform images that can be used to compare conditions before and after processes, make the setting on the microscope similar:
  • Turn the lamp all the way down, click "Settings" "Load/Save" if you have a old setting file otherwise save setting where you can find it with these settings: aperture shutter on, gain off (1x)
• Click "Macro", "Run from", select your macro and the scanning will start

• Take a tissue and write Initials, "Scanning in process, do not touch, endtime: xx/duration 4h from:XX" and place it on the keyboard or on the stage away from your sample

Remember to remove/delete your images as soon as possible, since this can limit the next user in making a full wafer scan due to storage limitations!