Author's Latest Posts


DSA Moves Ahead


It can be difficult to make DSA structures other than uniform arrays. One solution is to print a grating over a large area, then use a “cut” mask to eliminate the unwanted features. The challenge, though, is that aligning the cut mask to an array of tightly spaced features, such as the fins for a FinFET transistor layer, can require extremely demanding overlay specifications. While reducing... » read more

Counting And Controlling DSA Defects


If directed self-assembly is to succeed in semiconductor manufacturing, [gettech id="31046" t_name="DSA"] processes must achieve defect rates in line with the stringent requirements of sub-20nm device nodes. So far, they haven’t. However, it’s not yet clear whether the high defect rates represent a real obstacle, or are simply part of the development of any new, immature process technology... » read more

The Key To DSA


The block co-polymer most commonly used in directed self-assembly research ([gettech id="31046" t_name="DSA"]), PS-b-PMMA (poly(styrene-block-methyl methacrylate) is an excellent choice because the two component monomers have similar surface energies. The exposed top surface of the film helps to stabilize the segregated domains, making it relatively easy to achieve the lamellar line-and-space p... » read more

What Will That DSA Template Do, Anyway?


As directed self assembly techniques make the transition from line and space test patterns to the more complex structures seen in real devices, modeling is emerging as a significant issue. How will the co-polymers behave in the presence of a particular template pattern? While several laboratory-scale modeling methods exist, most are too computationally expensive to be used for large area str... » read more

How To Program A Quantum Computer


Quantum computers have captured the attention of the computer science world because they are faster than classical computers for some problems. Spend any time reading about quantum computing technology, and you’ll see that statement over and over again. But what does it actually mean, given that classical computing is a mature, highly optimized technology and quantum computers are in their in... » read more

Watching Qubits At Work


As previously discussed, part of the appeal of qubits based on nitrogen-vacancy (N-V) defect centers in diamond is the ability to manipulate them with light. Light pulses can be used both to initialize the qubit array and to measure the results of quantum computations. As recent work at The University of Chicago shows, light can also be used to study the evolution of the quantum state in the... » read more

Reading About Quantum Computing


For the last several months, I’ve been working on a series of articles about quantum computing: how quantum computers are different from conventional computers, what materials systems might be appropriate for use in qubits, and, for the upcoming last article, how one might actually build and program a quantum computer. Some of the subtopics are familiar ground for me, and probably for most... » read more

EUV Is Key To 450mm Wafers


Whether the wafers in question are 200 mm in diameter, or 300 mm, or potentially 450 mm, larger wafer sizes have always been justified by manufacturing economics. If the cost to process a wafer stays the same, but the wafer contains more devices, then the cost per device goes down. For processes that apply to the entire wafer at once — etch, deposition, cleaning, and so forth — the equation... » read more

What Is A Technology Node, Anyway?


The idea of clearly defined “technology nodes” has been more theoretical than practical for quite some time now. Electrostatic and power consumption considerations have long made it difficult to scale transistor dimensions at the same rate as memory density. Meanwhile, lithography has become more and more challenging, particularly for the arbitrary patterns commonly seen in logic design. ... » read more

Not All Qubits Are Small


While diamond nitrogen-vacancy centers offer one attractive implementation of quantum qubits, many other systems have been proposed. In theory, at least, any system with clearly identifiable quantum states can serve the purpose. The challenge lies in finding a system in which those states can be manipulated and measured by external forces and can be fabricated in large enough numbers for practi... » read more

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