Lowering The Computational Cost of Simulation (DOE, Princeton)


A technical paper titled “Accuracy of the explicit energy-conserving particle-in-cell method for under-resolved simulations of capacitively coupled plasma discharges” was published by researchers at Princeton University. Abstract: "The traditional explicit electrostatic momentum-conserving particle-in-cell algorithm requires strict resolution of the electron Debye length to deliver numeri... » read more

New Plasma Power Technologies For Next-Gen Semiconductor Manufacturing


As chip designs push the limits of speed, size and complexity, the semiconductor industry has set its sights on angstrom-scale device features. High-speed, precise and repeatable plasma power delivery with sophisticated controls is fundamental to process and device improvements. These factors support inflection points in technologies from chip-scale packaging through advanced front-end technolo... » read more

The Ansys Charge Plus PiC Solve


All surfaces are exposed to radiation, whether aircraft fuselages, satellite skins, or solar panels, are subjected to ionization effects through the accumulation of charged plasmas. Such plasmas present critical hazards to these platforms as their sudden nonlinear discharges can damage or destroy surfaces and underlying electronic components. Through the Particle-in-Cell solver, Ansys Charge Pl... » read more

Ansys Charge Plus And Its Particle-In-Cell Solver


SIMULATING SEMICONDUCTORS PARTICLE BY PARTICLE Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PE-CVD) and plasma etching are experimental techniques that leverage multiphysics for product development in the semiconductor industry. PE-CVD explicitly tackles the deposition of material on the surface of a wafer, such as a thin coating. A chemical with free radicals is placed on the surface of the ... » read more

How To Fine-Tune Large-Area Molybdenum Disulfide Atomic Layer Deposition At 150°C


A technical paper titled "Toolbox of Advanced Atomic Layer Deposition Processes for Tailoring Large-Area MoS2 Thin Films at 150 °C" was published by researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology, University of Michigan, and University College Cork. Abstract: "Two-dimensional MoS2 is a promising material for applications, including electronics and electrocatalysis. However, scalable meth... » read more

High-Voltage, High-Current Electrical Switching Discharge Synthesis of ZnO Nanorods: A New Method toward Rapid and Highly Tunable Synthesis of Oxide Semiconductors in Open Air and Water for Optoelectronic Applications


Abstract: "A novel method of oxide semiconductor nanoparticle synthesis is proposed based on high-voltage, high-current electrical switching discharge (HVHC-ESD). Through a subsecond discharge in the HVHC-ESD method, we successfully synthesized zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods. Crystallography and optical and electrical analyses approve the high crystal-quality and outstanding optoelectronic charac... » read more

Plasma processing for advanced microelectronics beyond CMOS


N. Marchack, L. Buzi, D. B. Farmer, H. Miyazoe, J. M. Papalia, H. Yan, G. Totir, and S. U. Engelmann , "Plasma processing for advanced microelectronics beyond CMOS", Journal of Applied Physics 130, 080901 (2021) https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0053666 ABSTRACT "The scientific study of plasma discharges and their material interactions has been crucial to the development of semiconductor process en... » read more

Using Fab Sensors To Reduce Auto Defects


The semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem has begun collaborating on ways to effectively use wafer data to meet the stringent quality and reliability requirements for automotive ICs. Silicon manufacturing companies are now leveraging equipment and inspection monitors to proactively identify impactful defects prior to electrical test. Using machine learning techniques, they combine the monitor ... » read more

Atomic Layer Etching: Rethinking the Art of Etch


Atomic layer etching (ALE) is the most advanced etching technique in production today. In this Perspective, we describe ALE in comparison to long-standing conventional etching techniques, relating it to the underlying principles behind the ancient art of etching. Once considered too slow, we show how leveraging plasma has made ALE a thousand times faster than earlier approaches. While Si is the... » read more

Moore’s Law: A Status Report


Moore's Law has been synonymous with "smaller, faster, cheaper" for the past 52 years, but increasingly it is viewed as just one of a number of options—some competing, some complementary—as the chip industry begins zeroing in on specific market needs. This does not make [getkc id="74" comment="Moore's Law"] any less relevant. The number of companies racing from 16/14nm to 7nm is higher t... » read more

← Older posts