Navigating the Angstrom Era

This is a sponsored article brought to you by Applied Materials.

The semiconductor industry is in the midst of a transformative era as it bumps up against the physical limits of making faster and more efficient microchips. As we progress toward the angstrom era," where chip features are measured in mere atoms, the challenges of manufacturing have reached unprecedented levels. Today's most advanced chips, such as those at the 2nm node and beyond, are demanding innovations not only in design but also in the tools and processes used to create them.

At the heart of this challenge lies the complexity of defect detection. In the past, optical inspection techniques were sufficient to identify and analyze defects in chip manufacturing. However, as chip features have continued to shrink and device architectures have evolved from 2D planar transistors to 3D FinFET and Gate-All-Around (GAA) transistors, the nature of defects has changed.

Defects are often at scales so small that traditional methods struggle to detect them. No longer just surface-level imperfections, they are now commonly buried deep within intricate 3D structures. The result is an exponential increase in data generated by inspection tools, with defect maps becoming denser and more complex. In some cases, the number of defect candidates requiring review has increased 100-fold, overwhelming existing systems and creating bottlenecks in high-volume production.

Applied Materials' CFE technology achieves sub-nanometer resolution, enabling the detection of defects buried deep within 3D device structures.

The burden created by the surge in data is compounded by the need for higher precision. In the angstrom era, even the smallest defect - a void, residue, or particle just a few atoms wide - can compromise chip performance and the yield of the chip manufacturing process. Distinguishing true defects from false alarms, or nuisance defects," has become increasingly difficult.

Traditional defect review systems, while effective in their time, are struggling to keep pace with the demands of modern chip manufacturing. The industry is at an inflection point, where the ability to detect, classify, and analyze defects quickly and accurately is no longer just a competitive advantage - it's a necessity.

Applied Materials

Adding to the complexity of this process is the shift toward more advanced chip architectures. Logic chips at the 2nm node and beyond, as well as higher-density DRAM and 3D NAND memories, require defect review systems capable of navigating intricate 3D structures and identifying issues at the nanoscale. These architectures are essential for powering the next generation of technologies, from artificial intelligence to autonomous vehicles. But they also demand a new level of precision and speed in defect detection.

In response to these challenges, the semiconductor industry is witnessing a growing demand for faster and more accurate defect review systems. In particular, high-volume manufacturing requires solutions that can analyze exponentially more samples without sacrificing sensitivity or resolution. By combining advanced imaging techniques with AI-driven analytics, next-generation defect review systems are enabling chipmakers to separate the signal from the noise and accelerate the path from development to production.

eBeam Evolution: Driving the Future of Defect Detections

Electron beam (eBeam) imaging has long been a cornerstone of semiconductor manufacturing, providing the ultra-high resolution necessary to analyze defects that are invisible to optical techniques. Unlike light, which has a limited resolution due to its wavelength, electron beams can achieve resolutions at the sub-nanometer scale, making them indispensable for examining the tiniest imperfections in modern chips.

Applied Materials

The journey of eBeam technology has been one of continuous innovation. Early systems relied on thermal field emission (TFE), which generates an electron beam by heating a filament to extremely high temperatures. While TFE systems are effective, they have known limitations. The beam is relatively broad, and the high operating temperatures can lead to instability and shorter lifespans. These constraints became increasingly problematic as chip features shrank and defect detection requirements grew more stringent.

Enter cold field emission (CFE) technology, a breakthrough that has redefined the capabilities of eBeam systems. Unlike TFE, CFE operates at room temperature, using a sharp, cold filament tip to emit electrons. This produces a narrower, more stable beam with a higher density of electrons that results in significantly improved resolution and imaging speed.

Applied Materials

For decades, CFE systems were limited to lab usage because it was not possible to keep the tools up and running for adequate periods of time - primarily because at cold" temperatures, contaminants inside the chambers adhere to the eBeam emitter and partially block the flow of electrons.

In December 2022, Applied Materials announced that it had solved the reliability issues with the introduction of its first two eBeam systems based on CFE technology. Applied is an industry leader at the forefront of defect detection innovation. It is a company that has consistently pushed the boundaries of materials engineering to enable the next wave of innovation in chip manufacturing. After more than 10 years of research across a global team of engineers, Applied mitigated the CFE stability challenge by developing multiple breakthroughs. These include new technology to deliver orders of magnitude higher vacuum compared to TFE - tailoring the eBeam column with special materials that reduce contamination, and designing a novel chamber self-cleaning process that further keeps the tip clean.

CFE technology achieves sub-nanometer resolution, enabling the detection of defects buried deep within 3D device structures. This is a capability that is critical for advanced architectures like Gate-All-Around (GAA) transistors and 3D NAND memory. Additionally, CFE systems offer faster imaging speeds compared to traditional TFE systems, allowing chipmakers to analyze more defects in less time.

The Rise of AI in Semiconductor Manufacturing

While eBeam technology provides the foundation for high-resolution defect detection, the sheer volume of data generated by modern inspection tools has created a new challenge: how to process and analyze this data quickly and accurately. This is where artificial intelligence (AI) comes into play.

AI-driven systems can classify defects with remarkable accuracy, sorting them into categories that provide engineers with actionable insights.

AI is transforming manufacturing processes across industries, and semiconductors are no exception. AI algorithms - particularly those based on deep learning - are being used to automate and enhance the analysis of defect inspection data. These algorithms can sift through massive datasets, identifying patterns and anomalies that would be impossible for human engineers to detect manually.

By training with real in-line data, AI models can learn to distinguish between true defects - such as voids, residues, and particles - and false alarms, or nuisance defects." This capability is especially critical in the angstrom era, where the density of defect candidates has increased exponentially.

Enabling the Next Wave of Innovation: The SEMVision H20

The convergence of AI and advanced imaging technologies is unlocking new possibilities for defect detection. AI-driven systems can classify defects with remarkable accuracy. Sorting defects into categories provides engineers with actionable insights. This not only speeds up the defect review process, but it also improves its reliability while reducing the risk of overlooking critical issues. In high-volume manufacturing, where even small improvements in yield can translate into significant cost savings, AI is becoming indispensable.

The transition to advanced nodes, the rise of intricate 3D architectures, and the exponential growth in data have created a perfect storm of manufacturing challenges, demanding new approaches to defect review. These challenges are being met with Applied's new SEMVision H20.

Applied Materials

By combining second-generation cold field emission (CFE) technology with advanced AI-driven analytics, the SEMVision H20 is not just a tool for defect detection - it's a catalyst for change in the semiconductor industry.

A New Standard for Defect Review

The SEMVision H20 builds on the legacy of Applied's industry-leading eBeam systems, which have long been the gold standard for defect review. This second generation CFE has higher, sub-nanometer resolution faster speed than both TFE and first generation CFE because of increased electron flow through its filament tip. These innovative capabilities enable chipmakers to identify and analyze the smallest defects and buried defects within 3D structures. Precision at this level is essential for emerging chip architectures, where even the tiniest imperfection can compromise performance and yield.

But the SEMVision H20's capabilities go beyond imaging. Its deep learning AI models are trained with real in-line customer data, enabling the system to automatically classify defects with remarkable accuracy. By distinguishing true defects from false alarms, the system reduces the burden on process control engineers and accelerates the defect review process. The result is a system that delivers 3X faster throughput while maintaining the industry's highest sensitivity and resolution - a combination that is transforming high-volume manufacturing.

One of the biggest challenges chipmakers often have with adopting AI-based solutions is trusting the model. The success of the SEMVision H20 validates the quality of the data and insights we are bringing to customers. The pillars of technology that comprise the product are what builds customer trust. It's not just the buzzword of AI. The SEMVision H20 is a compelling solution that brings value to customers."

Broader Implications for the Industry

The impact of the SEMVision H20 extends far beyond its technical specifications. By enabling faster and more accurate defect review, the system is helping chipmakers reduce factory cycle times, improve yields, and lower costs. In an industry where margins are razor-thin and competition is fierce, these improvements are not just incremental - they are game-changing.

Additionally, the SEMVision H20 is enabling the development of faster, more efficient, and more powerful chips. As the demand for advanced semiconductors continues to grow - driven by trends like artificial intelligence, 5G, and autonomous vehicles - the ability to manufacture these chips at scale will be critical. The system is helping to make this possible, ensuring that chipmakers can meet the demands of the future.

A Vision for the Future

Applied's work on the SEMVision H20 is more than just a technological achievement; it's a reflection of the company's commitment to solving the industry's toughest challenges. By leveraging cutting-edge technologies like CFE and AI, Applied is not only addressing today's pain points but also shaping the future of defect review.

As the semiconductor industry continues to evolve, the need for advanced defect detection solutions will only grow. With the SEMVision H20, Applied is positioning itself as a key enabler of the next generation of semiconductor technologies, from logic chips to memory. By pushing the boundaries of what's possible, the company is helping to ensure that the industry can continue to innovate, scale, and thrive in the angstrom era and beyond.