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Dektak

6 M Stylus

Provisional entry — research in progress

This page was generated automatically from cited public sources and hasn't completed the full research pass yet. Every specification shown carries its source; more detail is added as research completes.

6 M Stylus — Inventory photo
Fig. 016 M StylusInventory photo[1]

Performance

typically a few percent standard deviation[3]

Optics

0.1 nm[2]

What it is

The Dektak 6M can detect step heights up to 1 mm and down to 5 nm.[2]

The scan length ranges from 50 µm to 30 mm.[2]

Stylus force is adjustable from 9.8 mN to 147 mN.[2]

The instrument supports substrates up to 150 mm in diameter and up to 31 mm thick.[2]

The stylus tip radius is 12 micrometers.[3]

Horizontal resolution can be adjusted to well less than 0.1 micrometers depending on scan speed and scan length.[3]

How it works

The Dektak 6M is a semi-manual instrument that generates profile data by moving the sample horizontally beneath a stylus that is in contact with the sample.[3]

The instrument uses a low power sample positioning microscope to view the sample.[3]

Where it fits in the process flow

General reference — not yet source-verified

Stylus profilometers are used in semiconductor and thin-film processing to measure step heights, film thickness, and surface roughness after deposition, etching, or polishing steps.

The instrument is typically located in a metrology laboratory or cleanroom and can be used for both research and production monitoring.

Applications

Typical applications include measurement of etch rates, deposition rates, and film growth rates; measurement of surface roughness; and thickness mapping.[2]

The Dektak 6M can measure both hard materials such as silicon, silicon oxide, silicon nitride, and metal films on rigid substrates, and soft materials such as photoresists and other polymers.[3]

What do the numbers mean?

Optics & imaging4

Vertical resolution
0.1 nm[2]
Accurate?
Minimum resolvable step height
200 angstroms (20 nm)[3]
Accurate?
Point-to-point resolution
1 angstrom (0.1 nm)[3]
Accurate?
Horizontal resolution
well less than 0.1 µm (dependent on scan parameters)[3]
Accurate?

Performance1

Repeatability on 5000 Å step
typically a few percent standard deviation[3]
Accurate?

Dimensions & facilities1

Maximum step height
1 mm[2]
Accurate?

Configuration & options4

Scan length range
50 µm to 30 mm[2]
Accurate?
Stylus force range
9.8 mN to 147 mN (1 mgf to 15 mgf)[2]
Accurate?
Maximum sample thickness
31 mm[2]
Accurate?
Stylus tip radius
12 µm[3]
Accurate?
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Where are the manuals?

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Not publicly documented

Field notes

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Frequently asked questions

What is the maximum step height the Dektak 6M can measure?

The Dektak 6M can measure step heights up to 1 mm.[2]

What is the vertical resolution of the Dektak 6M?

The vertical resolution is 0.1 nm, and the point-to-point resolution is 1 angstrom.[2][3]

What are the typical applications of the Dektak 6M?

Typical applications include measurement of etch rates, deposition rates, film growth rates, surface roughness, and thickness mapping.[2]

Not publicly documented

The following facts about the 6 M Stylus are absent from this record as of this revision. First-hand knowledge or a citation closes a gap; every submission is reviewed before publication.

  • No publicly documented production dates or lifecycle milestones (introduction, end of production, EOL) for the 6 M Stylus are on record.

    Answerable by: OEM historical records or a trade-press announcement

  • No publicly documented variants, configuration options, or revision breakpoints of the 6 M Stylus are on record.

    Answerable by: an OEM product catalog or an engineer who ordered or specified the tool

  • The control-system platform and OS era of the 6 M Stylus are not on record.

    Answerable by: an engineer who operated it or OEM installation records

  • No publicly documented failure modes or field errata for the 6 M Stylus are on record.

    Answerable by: a field service engineer, process engineer, or maintenance technician

  • The process node or technology generation of the 6 M Stylus is not on record.

    Answerable by: an OEM datasheet or a fab qualification report

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Sources & citations

Sources (3)Every fact above is drawn from these public sources
  1. [1]Inventory photo
  2. [2]nist.gov — nist.govnist.gov
  3. [3]nist.gov — nist.govnist.gov
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Last updated Sep 26, 2026.

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