July 13, 2009: FEI has joined SEMATECH’s advanced metrology development program at the U. of Albany’s College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) to expand efforts to develop novel technologies to improve process control and yield for 45nm node and below manufacturing.

Specifically, FEI and SEMATECH experts will collaborate to develop high-resolution capabilities of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis, with electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and focused ion beam (FIB) technology to address critical needs in process development and defect analysis. These tools will provide the high resolution imaging and compositional data on the scale of a few nanometers. As part of the work FEI will contribute its wafer-to-TEM data equipment suite, at the core of which is its Titan TEM.

“Utilizing the automated, high-throughput CLM+ TEM sample preparation solution, combined with FEI’s TEMLink lamella lift out system, SEMATECH will be able to produce a steady supply of high quality TEM lamella for its Titan TEM. Equipped with the new MultiLoader double-tilt sample holder, the Titan TEM achieves a level of unprecedented connectivity across system platforms enabling secure, reliable, and traceable sample transfer,” said Rudy Kellner, VP/GM of FEI’s electronics division, in a statement.

Analytical TEM has historically been used for basic research in advanced materials development, but combined with EELS enables detailed information about physical structure, atomic arrangement, chemical bonding, density, and electronic behavior on a nanometer scale, resulting in a much more complete profile of each material.

“The collaborative effort among world-class researchers and engineers from FEI, SEMATECH and CNSE, along with access to critical laboratory analytical equipment available within CNSE, form an important cornerstone in providing world-leading advanced metrology capabilities to our members,” added John Warlaumont, SEMATECH VP of technology.