Navigating the Angstrom Era – IEEE Spectrum

This is an article sponsored by you by applied materials.

The semiconductor industry is located in the midst of a transformative era, which collides against the physical borders of making small faster and more efficient chips. As we advance towards the “Angstrom era”, where the features of the chips are measured in just atoms, manufacturing challenges have reached unprecedented levels. The most advanced chips today, such as those in the 2NM node and beyond, require innovations not only in design but also in the tools and processes used to create them.

At the heart of this challenge lies the complexity of the discovery of defects. In the past, visual inspection techniques were sufficient to determine and analyze defects in the manufacture of chips. However, as the chip features continued to reduce them and the structures of devices from two -dimensional flat transistors developed into 3D transistors (GAA), the nature of defects has changed.

Disadvantages are often so small that traditional methods are struggling to detect them. It is no longer just defects on the surface level, they are now buried deep in the depths of the complex 3D structures. The result is a significant increase in the data created by inspection tools, as the maps of defects have become more intense and more complex. In some cases, the number of candidates has increased defects who need to review to current systems of 100 times, and create bottlenecks in large size production.

The CFE Applied Mateials achieves the accuracy of the sub -nanometer, allowing the discovery of buried defects in the structures of 3D devices.

The burden created by the mutation in data is doubled due to the need for higher accuracy. In the Angstrom era, even the smallest defect – null, residue, or only a few atoms – can weaken the performance of the chips and the return of the process of manufacturing the chips. The distinction between the real defects of the wrong warnings, or “inconvenience defects” has become increasingly difficult.

Traditional defect review systems, despite their effectiveness at the time, are struggling to keep pace with the demands of manufacturing modern chips. The industry is at a turning point, as the ability to discover, classify and analyze defects is no longer a competitive advantage – it is a necessity.

Applied materials

In addition to the complexity of this process is the shift towards a more advanced chip structure. Logic chips in the 2NM knot and beyond, in addition to the high -density DRAM memories and 3D NAND memories, require defects reviewing systems that are able to move in complex 3D structures and identify problems in nano. These structures are necessary to operate the next generation of technologies, from artificial intelligence to independent vehicles. But they also demand a new level of accuracy and speed in discovering defects.

In response to these challenges, the semiconductor industry is witnessing the increasing demand for faster and more accurate defect review systems. In particular, high -sized manufacturing requires solutions that can significantly analyze more samples without sacrificing allergies or accuracy. By combining advanced photography techniques with artificial intelligence -driven analyzes, systems for reviewing the next generation of chips make from the signal separation from noise and accelerating the path from development to production.

Ebeam Evolution: Leading the Future of Discovering Disadvantages

EBEAm beam imaging has always been the cornerstone of the manufacture of semiconductors, providing the very high accuracy needed to analyze invisible defects of visual technologies. Unlike light, which has a limited accuracy due to the wavelength, the electronic symptoms can make decisions on the sub -nanometer, which makes them indispensable to examine the smallest defects in modern chips.

Applied materials

The EBEAM technology trip was the ongoing innovation journey. Early systems relied on the recession of the thermal field (TFE), which generates an electron beam by heating strands to very high temperatures. While TFE systems are effective, they are known as restrictions. The package is relatively wide, and high operational temperatures can lead to instability and a shorter life. These restrictions have become an increasing problem with the outbreak of chip features and the requirements for detecting faults increases.

Enter the cold field emissions technology (CFE), which is a breakthrough that defines the capabilities of EBEAM systems. Unlike TFE, CFE works at room temperature, using a cold stranded tip for electrons that emit. This results in a narrower and more stable beam with a higher density than electrons that significantly improve accuracy and speed.

Applied materials

For decades, CFE systems were limited to the use of the laboratory because it was not possible to keep the tools and operate for sufficient periods of time – primarily because “cold” temperatures, pollutants in the rooms of EBEAM and prohibit electrons in part.

In December 2022, applied materials announced that it had solved reliability problems with the introduction of the first two systems on the basis of CFE technology. Applied is a pioneer in this field at the forefront of creating defects. It is a company that has constantly pushed the boundaries of material engineering to enable the next wave of innovation in the manufacture of chips. After more than 10 years of research in a global team of engineers, he applied to reduce the challenge of CFE by developing multiple breakthroughs. This new technology to provide orders from the void includes the highest size compared to the TFE-customization of the EBEAm column with special materials that reduce pollution, and the design of a new room cleaning process that maintains the perception of the limb.

The CFE technology achieves the accuracy of the sub -nanometer, allowing the discovery of buried defects deep in the structures of 3D devices. This is an important capacity for advanced structures such as gate transistors (GAA) and 3D NAND memory. In addition, CFE provides faster imaging speeds compared to traditional TFE systems, allowing chips manufacturers to analyze more defects in less time.

The rise of artificial intelligence in the manufacture of semiconductors

While EBEAM technology provides the basis for detecting high -precision defects, the huge size of the data created by modern inspection tools has created a new challenge: how to process these data and analyze it quickly and accurately. This is where artificial intelligence (AI) plays.

Systems driven by artificial intelligence can classify defects with significant accuracy, and sort them into categories that provide engineers that can be implemented.

Artificial intelligence transforms manufacturing operations through industries, and semiconducts are no exception. Artificial intelligence algorithms – especially those based on deep learning – are used to automate and enhance defect examination analysis. These algorithms can start through huge data collections, identifying patterns and anomaly that will be impossible for human engineers to discover manually.

Through training with real data in the line, you can learn artificial intelligence models to distinguish between real defects-such as voids, remains, molecules-and wrong warnings, or “disturbance defects”. This ability is especially important in the Angstrom era, where the density of defects increased significantly.

Enabling the next wave of innovation: SEMVISION H20

The rapprochement of artificial intelligence and advanced imaging techniques is to open new possibilities to detect defects. Systems driven by artificial intelligence can classify defects with remarkable accuracy. It provides sorting defects to the categories of engineers with visible visions. This not only speeds up the process of reviewing defects, but also improves its reliability while reducing the risk of overcoming critical problems. In large -scale manufacturing, where small improvements in the return can be translated into large cost savings, artificial intelligence has become indispensable.

The transition to the advanced nodes, the rise of the complex three -dimensional structure, and the causal growth in data has created an ideal storm of manufacturing challenges, which requires new ways to review defects. These challenges are faced with the new Sempity H20 from Applied.

Applied materials

By combining cold-generation cold emissions technology (CFE) with advanced analyzes driven by artificial intelligence, Sempity H20 is not just a tool to detect defects-it is an incentive to change in the semiconductor industry.

A new standard to review defects

Sempity H20 relies on the legacy of the leading EBEAM systems in the industry, which has long been the golden standard to review defects. This second generation of CFE contains a higher degree of a nanometer faster than both TFE and CFE due to the increase in electron flow through the tip of its threads. These innovative capabilities enable the chips makers to identify and analyze the smallest defects and defects buried within the 3D structures. The accuracy in this level is essential for the emerging chips structure, as the lowest smaller shortfall and return can weaken.

But the capabilities of Sempity H20 go beyond photography. Deep AI’s educational models are trained in real customer data in the line, allowing the system to automatically classify defects with remarkable accuracy. By distinguishing real defects from wrong warnings, the system reduces the burden on the process of controlling the process and speeds the defect’s review. The result is a system that provides 3X productivity while maintaining the highest sensitivity and accuracy of the industry – a group that transforms high -sized manufacturing.

Made wandering effects on the industry

The SEMISION H20 effect extends beyond its technical specifications. By enabling a faster and more accurate defect review, the system’s chip makers help reduce factory cycle times, improve returns, and reduce costs. In an industry where the margins are thin, fierce competition, these improvements are not only gradual-it changes the game.

In addition, Sempity H20 is able to develop faster, more efficient and more powerful chips. With the continued growth of demand for advanced semiconductors – driven in directions such as artificial intelligence, 5G, and self -government vehicles – the ability to manufacture these chips will be widely will be very important. The system helps to make it possible, ensuring that chips can meet the requirements of the future.

A vision for the future

Applied on Semvision H20 is more than just a technological achievement; It is a reflection of the company’s commitment to solve the most difficult industry challenges. By taking advantage of advanced technologies such as CFE and AI, Applied not only treats pain points today, but also the future of defects.

With the continued development of the semiconductor industry, the need for only advanced defects will grow. With Sempity H20, the applied app puts itself as a major empowerment factor for the next generation of semiconductor technologies, from logic chips to memory. By pushing the limits of what is possible, the company helps to ensure that the industry can continue innovation, expansion and prosperity in the Angstrom era and beyond.