In this paper we describe the design, technology and application of a test and reference sample for calibration and characterization of scanning thermal microscopy (SThM) probes and systems. In our solution temperature field in thin film structure, which is being contacted with the thermal tip is controlled in the traceable manner. The developed technology, integrating plasma etching of Pt and chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) processing, enabled manufacturing a nanosize 100 nm thick Pt resistor on SiO2 with topography profile below 10 nm. Four-point setup makes it possible to generate and measure (in other words control) a defined temperature field of such a structure. The size of the thermally active structure is big enough to enable reliable SThM measurements and small enough to reduce the parasitic heat transport between the surface and the cantilever platform. The proposed solution enables measurement of the output signal of the scanning thermal microscope measurement system when the temperature of the reference sample is varied in the quantitative way. Furthermore, basing on the determined sensitivity the assessment of the resolution capabilities is possible.

中文翻译：

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用于表征扫描热显微系统的最小高度的主动校准参考

在本文中，我们描述了用于校准和表征扫描热显微镜 (SThM) 探针和系统的测试和参考样品的设计、技术和应用。在我们的薄膜结构中，与热尖端接触的溶液温度场以可追踪的方式进行控制。开发的技术将 Pt 的等离子体蚀刻和化学机械平面化 (CMP) 处理相结合，能够在 SiO2 上制造出 100 nm 厚的纳米级 Pt 电阻器，其形貌轮廓低于 10 nm。四点设置可以生成和测量（即控制）这种结构的定义温度场。热活性结构的尺寸足够大以实现可靠的 SThM 测量，并且足够小以减少表面和悬臂平台之间的寄生热传输。当参考样品的温度以定量方式变化时，所提出的解决方案能够测量扫描热显微镜测量系统的输出信号。此外，基于确定的灵敏度，可以评估分辨率能力。