Metrology For Emerging Research Materials And Devices

Abstract

The International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) [1] identifies a number of potentially enabling device and materials technologies to extend and compliment CMOS. These emerging memory and logic devices employ alternate "states" including 1D charge state, molecular state, polarization, material phase, and spin. The improvement of these materials and devices depends on utilizing existing and new metrology methods to characterize their structure, composition and emerging critical properties at the nanometer scale. The metrology required to characterize nanomaterials, interfaces, and device structures will include existing structural metrology, such as TEM, SEM, and others, as well as metrology to characterize new "state" properties of the materials. The characterization of properties and correlations to nanostructure and composition are critical for these new devices and materials. Characterizing the properties of emerging logic technologies will be very difficult, as an applied stimulus is required to probe dynamic state changes. In many cases, it will be important simultaneously to measure the spatial variation of multiple state properties, such as charge and spin, as a function of time at high frequencies to develop an understanding of the interactions occurring in the materials and at interfaces. Furthermore, the challenge of characterizing interface structure/composition and "state" interactions likely will increase with device scaling. New metrology capabilities are needed to study the static and dynamic properties of potential alternate "state" materials and devices at small dimensions.

Tunable and rapid self-assembly of block copolymers using mixed solvent vapors

“…For the last several decades, the directed self-assembly (DSA) of block copolymers (BCPs) has attracted much attention due to its excellent ability to overcome the challenges of conventional semiconductor manufacturing process. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] BCP which consists of two or more immiscible polymeric blocks can spontaneously selfassemble into well-organized nanostructures in the shape of dots, lines, circular holes, and lamellae with sub-20 nm feature sizes through a minimization of free energy. 3,5,8,9,[11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] Due to the great pattern resolution, scalability, and cost-effectiveness, the BCP selfassembly is one of the most promising candidates for nextgeneration lithography.…”

MOCVD of tungsten nitride thin films: Comparison of precursor performance and film characteristics

“…The ever‐changing scaling requirements for integrated circuits impose demanding specifications on the choice of materials employed to fabricate complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) devices . Tungsten nitride (WN), due to its refractory nature, excellent thermal stability and chemical inertness is investigated for potential applications as a diffusion barrier in Cu metallization schemes .…”