Why Dektak Pro™ is the Ultimate Solution for Precise Surface Metrology

Dektak Pro^TM offers easy-to-use functionality and high accuracy for film thickness, step height, stress, surface roughness, and wafer bow measurements. The 11th generation Dektak^® system provides exceptional 4 Å repeatability and a 200 mm stage option, ideal for surface topography analysis in industrial and research applications.

Dektak Pro improves surface metrology performance for advanced microelectronics, thick film coatings, and life sciences applications.

Image Credit: Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology

Only Dektak Pro Delivers:

• Leading analysis and measurement capabilities that guarantee consistently accurate data
• Unmatched adaptability and user-friendliness with simplified tip exchange and streamlined software
• Direct-drive scanning and advanced software providing faster results

Image Credit: Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology

Unparalleled Accuracy and Value

Stylus profilometry enables high-resolution surface topography analyses by tracing a radiused probe tip over a surface to record height information at each location. Stylus profiling is extremely accurate and economical, and new developments are also increasing speed and adaptability to satisfy the ever-changing demands of cutting-edge engineering applications.

Dektak Pro meets current and future requirements for process development, QA/QC, and research and development in various industrial and research applications, such as:

Microelectronics

• Observing etching and deposition procedures
• Examining device and sensor heights
• Analyzing trench depths

Image Credit: Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology

Thick Film Coatings

• Examining the UV and hardness coatings on eyewear
• Optimizing the decorative coatings on fixtures and faucets
• Analyzing the thickness of paint or ink coating

Image Credit: Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology

Life Sciences

• Calculating the thicknesses of biomaterials
• Analyzing bio-sensor topography
• Characterizing microfluidic channels

Image Credit: Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology

Dektak’s History of Innovation

Over the past 50 years, Bruker has driven advancements in enhancing stylus profiling, resolution, stability, speed, and adaptability, solidifying Dektak’s position as the gold standard in stylus profilers.

Hundreds of Dektak systems are installed worldwide each year. Dektak Pro now offers even better measurement accuracy, dependability, and operability. Dektak Pro is the obvious choice when a precise, reliable stylus profiler is required.

Image Credit: Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology

Unrivaled Performance and Repeatability

Image Credit: Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology

Dektak Pro’s exceptional longevity, resolution, robustness, and reliability guarantee dependable, high-quality results for up to decades. To maximize the system's unrivaled repeatability and accuracy, it builds upon industry-leading Dektak fundamentals to deliver the highest resolution, lowest noise floor, and easiest tip exchange. Dektak Pro can even measure single-nanometer step heights and achieve better than 4 Å repeatability on a 1 µm step height standard under the correct conditions.

Superior Performance is in the Details

Supporting large substrates, the single-arch design reduces sensitivity to unfavorable environmental factors like seismic and acoustic noise.

Smart electronics reduce errors and uncertainty in high-precision measurements by minimizing temperature variations and electronic noise.

In dynamic measurement scenarios, the low-inertia sensor (LIS 3) rapidly adapts to random surface morphology changes in order to maintain responsiveness and accuracy.

Stylus exchange technology uses the instrument's self-aligning stylus fixture to remove misalignment and the requirement for system recalibration, allowing for a simple exchange in less than a minute.

Image Credit: Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology

Productivity-Enhancing Speed and Ease of Use

At the forefront of stylus profilometry, Dektak Pro prioritizes time to results without sacrificing data quality. The system is essential for multi-user facilities and labs with various measurement requirements and for researchers and engineers looking to acquire accurate measurements quickly.

Fastest Time to Results

Direct-drive scan stage technology is key to the Dektak Pro's accelerated measurements. This advanced stage lessens the time between scans. However, it doesn't compromise noise floor and resolution, thus reducing time to results for long profile scans or large three-dimensional maps while maintaining industry-leading data quality and repeatability.

Even for large datasets, the Vision64^® software’s 64-bit parallel processing allows quick data processing. Repetitive tasks are streamlined through its automated multi-scan analysis operations, improving ease of use and speed.

A new algorithm brings the field of view into finer focus, making it easier than ever to locate features of interest. Image Credit: Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology

Easiest Operation

Bruker's Vision64 software offers a user-friendly graphical interface combining intuitive visual workflow with powerful automation features. It enhances data collection by:

• Keeping the entire field of view in focus with minimal optical distortion
• Using a single measurement head that accommodates step heights from 5 nm to 1 mm and loads from 1 to 15 mg (down to 0.03 mg with N-Lite+) without needing recalibration
• Providing an easy-to-use interface for automating measurement setup and simplifying operations

Dektak Pro measures nanometer to millimeter step heights using a single LIS 3 sensor capable of a software-controlled force range of 0.03 mg to 15 mg (with N-Lite+ low load option). Examples shown are a 1 µm step (left) and 1 mm step (right), both measured with a single sensor. Image Credit: Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology

Expand the Analysis Capabilities

With features like data filters, automated leveling, auto step detection, and recipe capabilities, Vision64’s Data Analyzer makes analysis reliable and easy.

Step Height

Image Credit: Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology

Dektak Pro's  new step height algorithms provide accurate and thorough results for a wide range of intricate surface profiles. By reducing human intervention in step-height computations, its automated analysis processes encourage uniformity and objectivity in data interpretation.

Surface Roughness and Waviness

Image Credit: Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology

Dektak Pro offers an affordable and intuitive way to measure surface waviness, texture, and roughness with high accuracy. Measurements on a wide range of surfaces are made possible by combining a large vertical range, a user-definable stylus force of 1–15 mg (down to 0.03 mg with N-Lite+), and a wide variety of stylus geometries.

2D Stress Measurements

Image Credit: Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology

Thanks to Dektak Pro, users now have greater control over two-dimensional stress analyses. User-defined fitting boundaries and outlier removal enable more accurate and repeatable stress measurements.

Wafer Warpage Mapping and 3D Stress Measurements

Image Credit: Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology

Accurately evaluating the deformation caused by film stress is essential to creating controllable procedures and high-quality devices. Dektak Pro precisely measures the film stresses that can cause cracking, deformation, and delamination.

Choose the Best Dektak Pro for the Application

Dektak Pro-E or -S. Manual 100 mm XY stage with optional manual theta. Image Credit: Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology

Dektak Pro-A. Automated 150 mm XY stage with automated 360 ° theta. Image Credit: Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology

Dektak Pro-A200. Automated encoded 200 mm XY stage with fine encoded automated 360 ° theta. Image Credit: Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology

Configuration Options. Source: Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology

Stylus Tip Options. Source: Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology

Ensuring Performance and Reliability

Bruker has a history of collaborating with its clients to facilitate high-quality data collection for effective material and process development. Long after the tools are sold, this partnership continues through training and after-sales support, following the development of next-generation technologies with industry leaders and helping customers choose the best system and accessories.

With system service and upgrades, application support, and training across various disciplines, the highly skilled team of support engineers, application scientists, and subject-matter experts is fully committed to optimizing productivity.

Dektak Pro Specifications. Source: Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology