Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) is one of the most efficient technologies to obtain the topographic and bathymetric map of coastal zones, superior to other technologies, such as sound navigation and ranging (SONAR) and synthetic aperture radar (SAR). However, the measurement results using LiDAR are vulnerable to environmental factors. To achieve a correspondence between the acquired LiDAR data and reality, error sources must be considered, such as the water surface slope, water turbidity, and seafloor slope. Based on the knowledge of those factors’ effects, error corrections can be applied. We concentrated on the effect of the seafloor slope on LiDAR waveforms while restricting other error sources. A simulation regarding in-water beam scattering was conducted, followed by an investigation of the correlation between the seafloor slope and peak timing of return waveforms. As a result, an equation was derived to correct the depth error caused by the seafloor slope.

Certified reference materials (CRMs) have been used to calibrate surface profilers for reliable measurements. In this paper, we present a newly designed step height CRM which has a step height pattern with two different widths and various special patterns for checking radial magnification, distortion of optical viewing systems, etc. Especially, it could be useful for multiprobe inspection instruments in the manufacturing lines. The fabrication was done by conventional optical lithography and dry etching process with optimized conditions. To verify the step height values, a white-light scanning interferometer was used with objective lenses having magnification of 10× and 100×. CRMs with nominal step heights of 0.5 ㎛, 1 ㎛, 3 ㎛, 5 ㎛, 7 ㎛, and 10 μm were fabricated and the uniformity of these CRMs was evaluated to be less than 3 nm (1σ).

We developed a line standards measurement system using an optical microscope and measured two kinds of line standards. It consists of three main parts: an optical microscope module including a CCD camera, a stage system with a linear encoder, and a measurement program for a microscopic image processing. The magnification of microscope part was calibrated using onedimensional gratings and the angular motion of stage was measured to estimate the Abbe error. The threshold level in linewidth measurement was determined by comparing with certified values of a linewidth reference specimen, and its validity was proved through the measurement of another linewidth specimen. The expanded uncertainty (k=2) was about 100 ㎚ in the measurements of 1 ㎛~10 ㎛ linewidth. In the comparison results of line spacing measurement, two kinds of values were coincide within the expanded uncertainty, which were obtained by the one-dimensional measuring machine in KRISS and the line standards measurement system. The expanded uncertainty (k=2) in the line spacing measurement was estimated as √(0.098 ㎛)² + (1.8×10?⁴×L). Therefore, it will be applied effectively to the calibration of line standards, such as linewidth and line spacing, with the expanded uncertainty of several hundreds nanometer.

A signal conditioning circuit for capacitive displacement sensors was developed using a high frequency modulation/demodulation method, and its performance was evaluated. Since capacitive displacement sensors can achieve high resolution and linearity, they have been widely used as precision sensors within the range of several hundred micrometers. However, they inherently have a limitation in low frequency range and some nonlinearity characteristics and so a specially designed signal conditioning circuit is needed to handle these properties. The developed signal processing circuit consists of three parts: linearization, modulation/demodulation, and nonlinearity compensation. Each part was constructed discretely using several IC chips and passive elements. An evaluation system for precision displacement sensors was developed using a laser interferometer, a precision stage, and a PID position controller. The signal processing circuit was tested using the evaluation system in the respect of resolution, repeatability, linearity, and so on. From the experimental results, we know that a highly linear voltage output can be obtained successfully, which is proportional to displacement and the nonlinearity of output is less than 0.02% of full range. However, in the future, further investigation is required to reduce noise level and phase delay due to a low-pass filter. The evaluation system also can be applied effectively to calibration and evaluation of precision sensors and stages.

The pitch and orthogonality of two-dimensional(2D) gratings have been measured by using a metrological atomic force microscope(MAFM) and measurement uncertainty has been analyzed. Gratings are typical standard artifacts for the calibration of precision microscopes. Since the magnification and orthogonality in two perpendicular axes of microscopes can be calibrated simultaneously using 2D gratings, it is important to certify the pitch and orthogonality of 2D gratings accurately for nano-metrology using precision microscopes. In the measurement of 2D gratings, the MAFM can be used effectively for its nanometric resolution and uncertainty, but a new measurement scheme was required to overcome some limitations of current MAFM such as nonnegligible thermal drift and slow scan speed. Two kinds of 2D gratings, each with the nominal pitch of 3OO nm and 1000 nm, were measured using line scans for the pitch measurement of each direction. The expanded uncertainties(k=2) of measured pitch values were less than 0.2 nm and 0.4 nm for each specimen, and those of measured orthogonality were less than 0.09 degree and 0.05 degree respectively. The experimental results measured using the MAFM and optical diffractometer were coincident with each other within the expanded uncertainty of the MAFM. As a future work, we also proposed another scheme for the measurements of 2D gratings to increase the accuracy of calculated peak positions.

We measured grating pitch standards using optical diffractometry and analyzed measurement uncertainty. Grating pitch standards have been used widely as a magnification standard for a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and a scanning probe microscope (SPM). Thus, to establish the meter-traceability in nano-metrology using SPM and SEM, it is important to certify grating pitch standards accurately. The optical diffractometer consists of two laser sources, argon ion laser (488 ㎚) and He-Cd laser (325 ㎚), optics to make an incident beam, a precision rotary table and a quadrant photo-diode to detect the position of diffraction beam. The precision rotary table incorporates a calibrated angle encoder, enabling the precise and accurate measurement of diffraction angle. Applying the measured diffraction angle to the grating equation, the mean pitch of grating specimen can be obtained very accurately. The pitch and orthogonality of two-dimensional grating pitch standards were measured, and the measurement uncertainty was analyzed according to the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement. The expanded uncertainties (k = 2) in pitch measurement were less than 0.015 ㎚ and 0.03 ㎚ for the specimen with the nominal pitch of 300 ㎚ and 1000 ㎚. In the case of orthogonality measurement, the expanded uncertainties were less than 0.006°. In the pitch measurement, the main uncertainty source was the variation of measured pitch values according to the diffraction order. The measurement results show that the optical diffractometry can be used as an effective calibration tool for grating pitch standards.

We measured the pitch of one-dimensional (1D) grating specimens using a metrological atomic force microscope (M-AFM). The 1D grating specimens are often used as a magnification standard in nano-metrology, such as scanning probe microscopy (SPM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Thus, we need to certify the pitch of grating specimens for the meter-traceability in nano-metrology. To this end, an M-AFM was setup at KRISS. The M-AFM consists of a commercial AFM head module, a two-axis flexure hinge type nanoscanner with built-in capacitive sensors, and a two-axis heterodyne interferometer to establish the meter-traceability directly. Two kinds of 1D grating specimens, each with the nominal pitch of 288 ㎚ and 700 ㎚, were measured. The uncertainty in pitch measurement was evaluated according to Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement. The pitch was calculated from 9 line scan profiles obtained at different positions with 100 ㎛ scan range. The expanded uncertainties (ｋ＝2) in pitch measurement were 0.10 ㎚ and 0.30 ㎚ for the specimens with the nominal pitch of 288 ㎚ and 700 ㎚. The measured pitch values were compared with those obtained using an optical diffractometer, and agreed within the range of the expanded uncertainty of pitch measurement. We also discussed the effect of averaging in the measurement of mean pitch using M-AFM and main components of uncertainty.

A metrological atomic force microscope (M-AFM) was developed for the length measurements of nanometer range, through the modification of a commercial AFM. To eliminate nonlinearity and crosstalk of the PZT tube scanner of the commercial AFM, a two-axis flexure hinge scanner employing built-in capacitive sensors is used for X-Y motion instead of PZT tube scanner. Then two-dimensional displacement of the scanner is measured using two-axis heterodyne laser interferometer to ensure the meter-traceability. Through the measurements of several specimens, we could verify the elimination of nonlinearity and crosstalk. The uncertainty of length measurements was estimated according to the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement. Among several sources of uncertainty, the primary one is the drift of laser interferometer output, which occurs mainly from the variation of refractive index of air and the thermal stability. The Abbe error, which is proportional to the measured length, is another primary uncertainty source coming from the parasitic motion of the scanner. The expanded uncertainty (k ＝ 2) of length measurements using the M-AFM is √(4.26)²＋(2.84×10－⁴×L)² (㎚), where L is the measured length in ㎚. We also measured the pitch of one-dimensional grating and compared the results with those obtained by optical diffractometry. The relative difference between these results is less than 0.01 %.