Press release
Applied Materials Breakthrough in Electron Beam Imaging Technology Accelerates Development of the World’s Most Advanced Computer Chips
Applied’s new “cold field emission” technology works at room temperature, increasing nanoscale image resolution by up to 50% and imaging speed by up to 10XCFE
About this update from Applied Materials, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"Applied’s new “cold field emission” technology works at room temperature, increasing nanoscale image resolution by up to 50% and imaging speed by up to 10XCFE eBeam technology enables leading chipmakers to accelerate development and commercialization of emerging 3D Gate-All-Around logic transistors and next-generation DRAM and NAND memory chipsTwo new CFE eBeam products introduced – SEMVision® G10 for defect review and PrimeVision® 10 for defect inspection – extending Applied’s leadership in the eBeam process diagnostics and control market SANTA CLARA, Calif., Dec. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Applied Materials, Inc. today announced the commercial availability of “cold field emission” (CFE) technology, a breakthough in eBeam imaging that enables customers to better detect and image nanometer-scale, buried defects to speed the development and production of next-generation Gate-All-Around (GAA) logic chips as well as higher-density DRAM and 3D NAND memories. Chipmakers use eBeam technology to identify and characterize defects that are too small to be seen with optical systems. Finding surface and buried defects is becoming increasingly challenging as chipmakers push the limits of 2D logic and DRAM scaling using EUV lithography and transition to complex 3D architectures like GAA logic transistors and 3D NAND memories. A breakthrough in eBeam imaging resolution and speed would enable chipmakers to accelerate chip development and make greater use of eBeam technology in high-volume manufacturing. Cold Field Emission: The Next Generation of eBeam Technology Conventional “thermal field emission” (TFE) eBeam systems operate at more than 1,500°C. Physicists have been working for decades to commercialize CFE eBeam technology because the lower temperature results in a narrower beam with more electrons, thereby enabling sub-nanometer image resolution and a 10X increase in imaging speed. Until now, CFE technology has not been stable enough for commercial applications because impurities inside the system accumulate on the eBeam emitter and degrade the flow of electrons; in TFE systems, these impurities are automatically repelled. Applied has made two breakthroughs that bring CFE eBeam systems into high-volume manufacturing: Extreme ultra-high vacuum eBeam columns: Applied has developed unique eBeam columns that house the eBeam emitter and othe...