Driving Toward More Rugged, Less Expensive SiC


Silicon carbide is gaining traction in the power semiconductor market, particularly in electrified vehicles, but it's still too expensive for many applications. The reasons are well understood, but until recently SiC was largely a niche technology that didn't warrant the investment. Now, as demand grows for chips that can work in high-voltage applications, SiC is getting a much closer look. ... » read more

The Drive Toward Zero Defects


The automotive semiconductor market has doubled twice in the past 20 years. But the next doubling will be even faster. While short-term results may vary, it is certain that auto semis will be much larger 10-20 years from now. Today, a gas-powered car has ~$400 of semiconductor content whereas the Tesla Model 3 with an electric powertrain and Advanced Driver Assist System (ADAS) has >4... » read more

Novel E-Beam Techniques For Inspection And Monitoring


In this paper, we report an advanced e-beam defect inspection tool (eProbe®250) and the Design-for-Inspection™ (DFI) system that has been built and deployed by PDF Solutions down to 4nm FinFET technology nodes. This tool has a very high throughput which allows for in-line inspection of nanometer-level defects in the most advanced technology nodes. We also present eProbe applications for... » read more

Hiding Security Keys Using ReRAM PUFs


Resistive RAM and physically unclonable functions (PUFs) have been gaining traction for completely different reasons, but when combined they create an extremely secure and inexpensive way of storing authentication keys. As security concerns shift from purely software to a combination of hardware and software, chipmakers and systems companies have been scrambling to figure out how to prevent ... » read more

Nip The Defect In The Bud


As technology nodes shrink, end users are designing systems where each chip element is being targeted for a specific technology and manufacturing node. While designing chip functionality to address specific technology nodes optimizes a chip’s performance regarding that functionality, this performance comes at a cost: additional chips will need to be designed, developed, processed, and assembl... » read more

NIST Modifies & Improves Technique For Detecting Transistor Defects


Abstract "We utilize a frequency-modulated charge pumping methodology to measure quickly and conveniently single “charge per cycle” in highly scaled Si/SiO2 metal–oxide–semiconductor field effect transistors. This is indicative of detection and manipulation of a single interface trap spin species located at the boundary between the SiO2 gate dielectric and Si substrate (almost certainl... » read more

HBM, Nanosheet FETs Drive X-ray Fab Use


Paul Ryan, vice president and general manager of Bruker’s X-ray Business, sat down with Semiconductor Engineering to discuss the movement of x-ray metrology into manufacturing to better control nanosheet film stacks and solder bump quality. SE: Where are you seeing the greatest growth right now, and what are the critical drivers for your technology from the application side? Ryan: One b... » read more

Advanced High Throughput e-Beam Inspection With DirectScan


Optical inspection cannot resolve critical defects at advanced nodes and cannot detect subsurface defects. Especially at 7nm and below, many yield and reliability killer defects are the result of interactions between lithography, etch, and fill. These defects often will have part per billion (PPB) level fail rates. Conventional eBeam tools lack the throughput to measure PPB level fail rates. A ... » read more

Light-Emitting V-Pits: An Alternative Approach toward Luminescent Indium-Rich InGaN Quantum Dots


Abstract: "Realization of fully solid-state white light emitting devices requires high efficiency blue, green, and red emitters. However, challenges remain in boosting the low quantum efficiency of long wavelength group-III-nitride light emitters through conventional quantum well growth. Here, we demonstrate a new direct metal–organic chemical vapor deposition approach to grow In-rich InGa... » read more

A quantitative model for the bipolar amplification effect: A new method to determine semiconductor/oxide interface state densities


Abstract "We report on a model for the bipolar amplification effect (BAE), which enables defect density measurements utilizing BAE in metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistors. BAE is an electrically detected magnetic resonance (EDMR) technique, which has recently been utilized for defect identification because of the improved EDMR sensitivity and selectivity to interface defects.... » read more

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