Semiconductor Research Areas
Future Transistors
The
modern transistor is the heart
of semiconductor circuitry, allowing
data to be processed at tremendous
volumes and speeds. High-functioning
transistors are one of the reasons
why today's cell phones can record
voices, take pictures, and receive
calls from all over the world.
Likewise, densely packed transistors
are part of the secret behind the fast-moving,
action-packed video games that enthrall children and adults alike. Through these and thousands
of other applications, transistors
have made many human activities faster, more
convenient, and more entertaining. More
New Connectivity
Novel,
innovative approaches are required
for connecting transistors
together: it involves depositing
metal into deep and narrow microscopic
holes etched into a chip. Billions
of these holes, or vias, must
be built on each semiconductor
to interconnect to millions of individual transistors
within it. As the number of transistors
continues to increase exponentially,
interconnect breakthroughs are being sought.
More
Patterning
Semiconductor manufacturing basically begins with lithography, which uses extremely narrow waves of light—in combination with sensitive chemicals called resists and stencil-like devices known as photomasks—to create intricate patterns on a silicon wafer. Approximately one-third of the total cost of chip manufacturing involves lithography, or litho. As a result, litho must improve constantly in order to continue making chips faster, cheaper, and more powerful. More
Metrology
Like
the master carpenter who measures
twice and cuts once, chip-makers
also must measure frequently
to ensure that no significant
errors occur in the manufacturing
of their products. The creation
of an advanced semiconductor
involves hundreds of process steps and metrology,
using high-resolution microscopes sensitive
enough to "see" molecules
and even large atoms is a critical
part of chip manufacturing. In
fact, about one-third of the "wafer
moves" within a semiconductor factory involve
metrology. More