Research Bits: Dec. 3


Self-assembly of mixed-metal oxide arrays Researchers from North Carolina State University and Iowa State University demonstrated a technique for self-assembling electronic devices. The proof-of-concept work was used to create diodes and transistors with high yield and could be used for more complex electronic devices. “Our self-assembling approach is significantly faster and less expensi... » read more

Navigating the Metrology Maze For GAA FETs


The chip industry is pushing the boundaries of innovation with the evolution of finFETs to gate-all-around (GAA) nanosheet transistors at the 3nm node and beyond, but it also is adding significant new metrology challenges. GAA represents a significant advancement in transistor architecture, where the gate material fully encompasses the nanosheet channel. This approach allows for the vertical... » read more

Large-Scale Nanometer-Thick Graphite Film (NGF) As A EUV Pellicle


A new technical paper titled "Graphite Pellicle: Physical Shield for Next-Generation EUV Lithography Technology" was published by researchers at University of Ottawa, Sungkyunkwan University, and Hanbat National University. Abstract "Extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) is widely employed in the electronics, automotive, military, and AI computing areas for IC chip fabrication. A pellicl... » read more

Large Area Synthesis of 2D Material Hexagonal Boron Nitride, Improving Device Characteristics of Graphene


A new technical paper titled "Large-area synthesis and transfer of multilayer hexagonal boron nitride for enhanced graphene device arrays" was published by researchers at Kyushu University, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), and Osaka University. Abstract "Multilayer hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) can be used to preserve the intrinsic physical properti... » read more

Chasing After Carbon Nanotube FETs


Carbon nanotube transistors are finally making progress for potential use in advanced logic chips after nearly a quarter century in R&D. The question now is whether they will move out of the lab and into the fab. Several government agencies, companies, foundries, and universities over the years have been developing, and are now making advancements with carbon nanotube field-effect transi... » read more

3D NAND’s Vertical Scaling Race


3D NAND suppliers are accelerating their efforts to move to the next technology nodes in a race against growing competition, but all of these vendors are facing an assortment of new business, manufacturing, and cost challenges. Two suppliers, Micron and SK Hynix, recently leapfrogged the competition and have taken the scaling race lead in 3D NAND. But Samsung and the Kioxia-Western Digital (... » read more

Improving EUV Process Efficiency


The semiconductor industry is rethinking the manufacturing flow for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography in an effort to improve the overall process and reduce waste in the fab. Vendors currently are developing new and potentially breakthrough fab materials and equipment. Those technologies are still in R&D and have yet to be proven. But if they work as planned, they could boost the flo... » read more

Inspection, Metrology Challenges Grow For SiC


Inspection and metrology are becoming more critical in the silicon carbide (SiC) industry amid a pressing need to find problematic defects in current and future SiC devices. Finding defects always has been a challenging task for SiC devices. But it’s becoming more imperative to find killer defects and reduce them as SiC device vendors begin to expand their production for the next wave of a... » read more

System Bits: June 4


Thin films for quantum computing Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory report their development of two-dimensional tungsten/selenium thin films that can control the emission of single photons, potentially useful in quantum technologies. “Efficiently controlling certain thin-film materials so they emit single photons at precise locations—what’s known as deterministic quantum em... » read more

Controlling Variability And Cost At 3nm And Beyond


Richard Gottscho, executive vice president and CTO of Lam Research, sat down with Semiconductor Engineering to talk about how to utilize more data from sensors in manufacturing equipment, the migration to new process nodes, and advancements in ALE and materials that could have a big impact on controlling costs. What follows are excerpts of that conversation. SE: As more sensors are added int... » read more

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