AAT's Information about Firm nanotools (Germany)

Home Page TopWhat's new!nanotools

Please refer to Support for nanotools about FAQs.

Home page of Firm nanotools

Last Updated : March 2012

Sightseeing in Tokyo with Dr. Irmer, who visits with business trip to Japan

Last Updated : December 2011

From the nanotools' renewed HP we made a nanotool's pamphlet in English.

In 2011 Firm nanotools renewd the Home page and Company policy and the poduct lines were changed. Therefore we couldn't use the pamphlet until now and we made we made a nanotools' pamphlet "nanotools Solutions" as the right photo. We asked Dr. Irmer to check this pamphlet. After his confirmation we will release it inJapanese.

A nanotools' official agent in Japan is now Firm Toyo Corporation and it is published in nanotools' Home page as follows.




Please ask us about the above pamphlet per E-mail.

Last Updated : February 2011

Dr. Bernd Irmer, nanotools' President visits at nanotech 2011 and the nanotools' renewed HP

Firm nantools GmbH had renewed his Home page adding not only the AFM tips but also other seling products. Till now the sales system in Japan was not a sole agent system, so we and another company sell the products. Firm Toyo Corporation was also a sales agent from July in 2010. Firm Toyo Corporaion began to import an American AFM made by Digital Instrument (Now this company is called Veeco Instruments, Inc.) and got results. However the Veeco Instruments, Inc. had sold the AFM business to Firm Bruker Corporation in August 2010. Firm Toyo Corporation sells also Nanoworld AFM tips and Nanosensors AFM tips. Dr. Irmer asked us if we could agree that Firm Toyo Corporation would be a sole agent of nanotools in Japan. We agreed and asked Dr. Irmer that we could sell through Firm Toyo Corporation, if necessary.
Dr. Irmer came to JAPAN to see the show "nanotech 2011" from February 16 to 18. And he decided that Firm Toyo Corporation was a sole agent in Japan. I was invited to Dinner by Dr. Irmer with Ms Roessger of Firm NanoWorld and President Nikolov of Budget Sensors. I had a nice evening with them. From left to right of the photo : Dr. Irmer, President Nikolov, a man, Ms Roessger and I.
The nanotools' HP showed Firm Toyo Corporation as a sole agent in Japan.
The nanotools' President, Dr. Irmer is interested in Japanese furnitures and garden. He had made Shoji directed by a Japanese lived in Munich, Germany. This time he wanetd to buy Kanna (Plane) and we went to a famous shop "Nishikan Honnten" durling the show. He bought a hand-made and an expensive real Kannna.

Last Updated : December 2009

Dr. Bernd Irmer, nanotools' President visits at Semicon Japan 2009

There is no German Pavillon in Semicon Japan 2009 then he didn't exhibit this time. However he came to Japan to see the show, to check a trend in Japan and customer's visits. We had a dinner together and talked about many things.

At present the sales agents of Firm nanotools are our Aki-Alltech and Firm Tomoe Enbineering. The nanotools' Home page shows these 2 names as resellers in Japan.

Last Updated : December 2008

Help to Firm nanotools' booth of German Pavillon in Semicon Japan 2008

From December 3, Wednesday to 5, Friday there is the show "Semicon Japan 2008". Firm nanotools exhibits at German Pavillon in No. 7 hall. However there is the show "2008 MRS Fall Exhibit" organized by the Materials Research Society in Boston, USA from December 2, Tuesday to 4, Thursday. President, Dr. Irmer and Ms Martin go to there. We help by oyeserlves at the nanotools booth. We made special posters called "AFM and Cantilever" whose photos were given by Firm Olympus.
The Party is hold in the evening on Decmeber 3 at Hotel New Ohtani, Makuhari organized by the German Embassy in Japan. We taled friendly with people of other German companies and enjoyed very much.
At the show we published new products as "MSS: Metrology Probe SuperSharp", "M1: Metrology Probe M1", "SSE: SuperSharp Enhanced", "M*-CNT: CarbonNano Tip" and "BioTOOL". If you want to know in detail, please ask us per E-Mail.

Last Updated : June 2008

Application Note AN99 by Firm Veecoeeco in 2007 was translated into Japanease.

A big company, Firm Veeco Instruments, Inc publishes an Application Note. No. AN99 is "In Line Monitoring of Shallow Trench Isolation Divot Depth". It is said that the Inline Monitoring is done using nanotools' tip SuperSharp Long and this tip measures more than 2000 times, a long life.


If you need this Application Note in Japanese, please ask us per E-mail.

Last Updated : December 2007

Help to Firm nanotools' booth in Semicon Japan 2007

From December 5, Wednesday to December 7, Friday the Semicon Japan2007 was held. Firm nanotools participated in German Paviilion at Hall 7. Ms Susanne Martin was coming one day before. This time the big banners was not used as the background of the booth, then the knockdown background was used and Ms Martin and I assembled it. The assembling frames and Photos are stored in 2 portable cases. This year 13 companies including nanotools were participated in German Pavilion and a customarly party organized by the Embassy of F.R. Germany was held at VIP room in Makuhari Messe in the evening of December 6 and we had friendly relations with other German companies. On the last day Dr. Bernd Irmer, CEO of nanotools GmbH, was coming to the show and made sales campaign by visiting other booths.
The above photos show snaps during the exhibition from the left : the booth of nanotools, Dr. Irmer and Ms Martin and the receptionists of the German Pavilion.
The revised 4 kinds of leaflets in Japanese were released. Especially Type SSS (SuperSharpShort) tip was reported by Firm Veeco's Application No.AN99 in detail. This SSS tip is the best choice for In-Line Monitoring of Shallow Trench Isolation Divot Depth.
Please refer to the following PDF-files in detail. But we are sorry we have only Japanese leaflets.

Metrology M1...only in Japanese
High Aspect Ration Metrology : MC90/70 - MC60...only in Japanese
CarbonNanoTip M*-CNT...only in Japanese
High Resolution SuperSharpShort: MSS...only in Japanese

Home page of Firm nanotools

Last Updated : October 2007

Firm nanotools celebrated the 10th Anniversary of the Foundation at the main office in Munich on October 2, 2007

Last Updated : December 2006

Help to Firm nanotools' booth in Semicon Japan 2006

The Semicon Japan 2006 was held at Makuhari Messe from December 6, Wednesday to December 8, Friday 2006. Firm nanotools participated in German Pavilion at Hall 7. Ms Susanne Martin was coming one day before and advised the booth decoration. She brought some banners advertising nanotools' new products from Germany and decorated the booth using these banners and big banners prepared in Japan. Ms Martin could give a reception to visitors, so we were helper but we have only few helped. At the night of 1st day all participants in German Pavilion were invited to the official residence of Mr. Hans-Joachim Daerr Japanese Ambassador to F.R.Germany and enjoyed that night very much. On the last day of the exhibition Dr. Bernd Irmer, CEO of nanotools GmbH, was coming and made sales campaign.
The above photos show snaps during the exhibition from the upper left : The reception of the German Pavilion, Ms Martin and Dr. Irmer, Ms Martin receiving a Japanese visitor. From the lower left photo shows nanotools' booth decorating with banners, the back big banner is 2m in horizontal and 2.5m in vertical and the hanging banners were brought by Ms Martin from Germany. Then the photos shows snaps at the party of German Ambassador residence. Mr. Daerr made a speech of welcome in German, but he speaks well Japanese too. All participants enjoyed German foods. The white-colored one of the right edge of the photo is orchid.
New product was Carbon Nanotip, M-CNT having 20nm shaft conforming the next generation of 65-40nm Node. This tip has already used in the trial production line at a major electric company. The detail in Japanese is showed the following PDF-file.

Carbon Nanotip Type:M-CNT...only in Japanese

Hoem Page of Firm nanotools

Last Updated : April 2006

Firm nanotools' booth in Semicon Europe 2006, Sales attack to the semi-conductor industries

The upper left is M-Cylinder and the upper right is M1. Please refer to the following PDF-files about the detail.

Metrology tip : M-Cylinder...only in Japanese

Metrology tip : M1...only in Japanese

Last Updated : November 2005

CNT-like M-Cylinder Cantilever for 90-70nm Node

Last updated : March 2005

The equipment was reinforced, business is increasing, and Nanotools GmbH is getting bigger.
Last year Nanotools invested a lot in the new production facilities at the main office in Munich. To be prepared for the growing needs of the customers, the complete business system was modernized: they got a new order acceptance, a new production and a new delivery system. Continual improvement of the production process, permanent innovation and high flexibility ensure the success of Nanotools in the field of the semiconductor industry. Also an increasing yield-rate will be reached that way.
The picture shows the Nanotools team in front of its corporate logo. Some members are out on business and it's difficult to gather all the people at the same time, but you can see Dr. Bernd Irmer, CEO of Nanotools GmbH.
All the nanotools members keep working hard to reach the company�fs aims and they need your continuous support and cooperation.

Recently we are often asked about cantilevers. The age of nanotechnology has begun and the number of customers who use SPM (scanning probes microscopes) is increasingly high. That's the point why we think that the interest in cantilevers is getting higher everyday. It is really important for us to get to know our customers' needs and questions as good as it gets. We consult with Nanotools and try to find the best advice and the best solution to offer.
Here you can find the certificate of Nanotools' official agent, Dr.Irmer. (If you click on the certificate, you can see an enlargement.)

A technical note on "Probe's knowledge to use the AFM well" in Japanese is being prepared. If you want you can ask for this document by E-mail.



Home Page of Firm nanotools

Please ask us about technical information (only in Japanese) per E-mail.

Last Updated : March 2004

Firma nanotools makes Image Catalogue in March 2004, which shows Company policy, products, solutions and so on. We can prepare also the Image Catalogue in Japanese.
We have finished to translate the report about "nanotolls High-End Scanning Probes : The Benchmark in AFM Metrology".

Last Updated : January 2004

Firm nanotools GmbH, Germany is the manufacturer of HDC(High Dense Carbon)-probes for AFM (Atomic Force Microscope) called a cantilever. This company was founded in 1997 as a spin-off of the Center for Nanoecience (CeNS) in Munich, bringing the technology which enabled to manufacture tips of almost any desired geometry and functionality. The nanotools modifies the tip and deposits the "HDC" material to the very end of the conventional silicon sensors as Nanosensors, Nanoworld, Olympus and Veeco's.
Please refer to the following PDF-files about "Quick selection for HDC-tips", "Production list for HDC-tips" and "Applicatin samples of HDC-tips".

Import and Sales HDC-tips for SPM of Firm nanotools GmbH
We have delivered HDC-Tips of Firm nanotools to some Japanese customers. The nanotools HDC-tips combine high resolution imaging, which is at least comparable to that known from the very best silicon AFM sensors, with the extreme durability of diamond coated sensors. Furthermore they can be custom-made to almost every geometry requested, ranging from 300 nm short to well over 8 ƒÊm long needles, with tip radii from 2 nm to some 100 nm. Even more complex sensors, e.g. hook like tips, curved needles, closed loops to name but a few, can be made upon request. Whatever your need for a tool on the nanometer length scale might be, HDC material can well be the material you are looking for.
We can deliver also the Certificate with picture as right low one (the 50,000x picture under 6KV) optionally measured by the nanotools' special SEM and the customer can use the tips with confidence.

Quick Selection of HDC-Tips (Cantilever)...Only in Japanese
Production list for HDC-Tips (Cantilever)...Only in japanese
Home Page of Firm nanotools

---

Last Updated : December 2003

At the end of November we visited 4 companies in Germany as Klocke Nanotechnik, Wilh. Lambrecht GmbH, Kappa opto-electronics GmbH and nanotools GmbH. We had meaningful meetings with them and we want to use theses experiences to support customers.

nanotools GmbH : which was founded in 1997 as a spin-off of the Center for Nanoscience (CeNS) in Munich. As one research result of HDC (High Dense Carbon) technology they can manufacture a tip, which is used for AFM probes, and the tip is made to any desired geometry and functionality.

Not only in Japan but also in the World a nano-technology has met the prosperity right now, the sales amount of the HDC tips are growing up every year. Last year they moved to the center of Munich city from the CeNS site of Munich University. The office is near the Marienplatz, which is very famous place for Japanese tourists and in which there is new City Hall. The office has manufacturing and inspection facilities in basement, but there is no vibration effect from the metro. At the front of the nantools' poster by main entrance the right is Dr. Irmer ; CEO and the left is Mr. Kriele ;Managing Director Product Development.
Each machine for inspection and manufacturing is operated and there are still manufacturing facilities in CeNS. They are planning to install one machine for manufacturing here in this office next year. They are ready to deliver the standard tips in Germany within 48 hours.
They have renewed the company logo and homrpage recently. We have also sold tips to Japanese customers and we want to expand this business this year.


Home Page of Firm nanotools

---

Last Updated : February 2003

December 2002 : Negotiation with Firm NanoTOOLS
We got an inquiry of AFM-Scanning probe (cantilever) from a Japanese customer and have begun to contact with Firm NanoTOOLS, Germany. At the moment we can import their cantilever directly.

At the beginning The NanoTOOLS GmbH is specialized company to manufacture High Density Carbon scanning probes (HDC) for Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The NanoTOOLS HDC-tips are at least comparable to the tips made by best silicon AFM sensors with diamond coated. Furthermore the NanoTOOLS HDC-tips can be made to almost every geometry requested by customers, ranging from 100 nm short to well over 5 µm long needles, with tip radii from a very few nanometers to some 100 nm. Even more complex sensors, e.g. hook like tips, curved needles, closed loops to name but a few, can be made upon request. Whatever your need for a tool on the nanometer length scale might be, HDC material can well be the material you are looking for.

Properties The NanoTOOLS HDC-tips are deposited onto a wide range of different types and materials of cantilevers, including the well known POINTPROBE silicon sensors from Nanosensors GmbH (The Nanoworld AG, Switzerland, acquired the Nanosensors GmbH in November 2002.), the world leader in silicon scanning probes, OLYPMUS Tapping Mode etched silicone probes, Park-Cantilevers and silicon nitride probes (contact, tapping in fluids).
Since we polymerize from organic compounds, our HDC material consists mainly out of so called amorphous carbon. In this carbon configuration the C-C bonds are part sp² and part sp³ hybridized. Therefore the mechanical properties are almost ideal for scanning probe applications : the hardness is comparable to that of diamond. However the HDC material is non-brittle, making it far more robust than for example single crystal silicon. Furthermore the geometry of HDC tips can be tuned over a wide range, serving special needs in AFM applications.

Advantages
¤ High resolution & high durability
¤ Diamond hard but elastic
¤ Non brittle
¤ Extreme less tip degradation
¤ Very small corn half angle
¤ High aspect ratio
¤ Tilt corrected normal to surface
¤ Hydrophobic
¤ Resistant against most acids and basics
¤ Deposable on all cantilever types
¤ Custom made geometry

One of Applications

Deep DRAM-trench analyzed with a commercial silicon-tip
results:
Because of a different sidewall-angle of 64 deg left and 58 deg right, then the short bottom travel line of 120 nm
Not the real structure !

The same DRAM-structure analyzed with a NanoTOOLS HDC Metrology AFM tip.
results:
Because of the both sidewall-angle of 85 deg, then long bottom travel line of 180 nm
Almost the real structure !

Home Page of Firm nanotools