Interferometric Surface Relief Measurements with Subnano/Picometer Height Resolution

We present an optical interference system nanoprofiler MNP-1 designed for high-precision noncontact measurement of surface relief with subnanometer resolution (root mean square of measured values), based on partial scanning of interference signal. The paper describes the construction of the measurement system with Linnik interferometer and the algorithm for nanorelief surface reconstruction. Experimental measurement results of silicon sample with profile height of surface structure of one interatomic distance obtained by MNP-1 are shown. It was proposed to use an atomically smooth surface as the reference mirror in the interferometer MNP-1 that allowed us to measure monatomic steps of the presented silicon sample. Monatomic steps of 0.31 nm in height on silicon (111) surface were measured with resolution up to 5 pm.