Calibration specimens for microscopy

Recent developments in nanotechnologies raised new issues in microscopy with nanometer and sub nanometer resolution. Together with the imaging techniques, new approaches in the metrology field are required both in the direct metrology issues and in the area of calibration of the imaging tools (microscopes). Scanning electron microscopy needs the calibration specimens for adjusting the size of the view field (correct magnification) and the shape of that field (correction of deflection field distortions). Calibration specimens have been prepared using different technologies; among them the e–beam patterning and the e–beam lithography have been proved to be appropriate and flexible tool for that task. In the past, we have reported several times our achievements in this field (e.g. [1]). Nevertheless, recent advances of the patterning tool (BS600), mainly the development of the technology zoomed exposure mode [2] and the installation of the magnetic field active cancellation system [3], pushed remarkably the technology necessary for further advances in this area. Within this contribution some theoretical, technology and practical aspects are discussed; achieved results are presented