Archive for May, 2007
Current News: IBM claims nano-scale patterning breakthrough
By Jack Vaughan, from company releases
IBM has reported a nano-scale patterning breatkthrought that betters processes currently possible using lithographic techniques. A technique used by IBM causes a vacuum to form between the copper wires on a semiconductor chip, allowing electrical signals to flow faster, while consuming less electrical power. The process is one of self-assembly that creates nano-scale patterning required to form the vacuums, or air gaps, that in effect improve performance of electrical signals. The vaccuums provide needed on-chip signal insulation.
Today, chips are manufactured with copper wiring – due in fact to an advance achieved by the leader of this same research team ten years ago.
This copper is surrounded by an insulator, which involves using a mask to create circuit patterns by beaming light through the mask and later chemically removing the parts that are not needed.
The new technique to make airgaps by self-assembly skips the masking and light-etching process. Instead IBM scientists discovered the right mix of compounds, which they pour onto a silicon wafer with the wired chip patterns, then bake it.
This patented process provides the right environment for the compounds to assemble in a directed manner, creating trillions of uniform, nano-scale holes across an entire 300 millimeter wafer. These holes are just 20 nanometers in diameter, up to five times smaller than would be possible using today’s most advanced lithography technique.
Add comment May 8, 2007
