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Smaller semiconductor devices need smaller measuring devices to ensure quality control. NIST laboratory researchers work with industry and with other government laboratories to improve the measurement of a host of semiconductor properties such as circuit linewidths, the thickness and alignment of circuit layers, and the trace chemical composition of specific device regions. NIST leads a national semiconductor metrology effort that is paving the way for next-generation devices.


Semiconductor Manufacturing Incredible shrinking microchips
Smaller semiconductor devices need smaller measuring devices to ensure quality control. NIST laboratory researchers work with industry and with other government laboratories to improve the measurement of a host of semiconductor properties such as circuit linewidths, the thickness and alignment of circuit layers, and the trace chemical composition of specific device regions. NIST leads a national semiconductor metrology effort that is paving the way for next-generation devices.
illustration of how elecrons are directed through a silicon line to create line images that can be used in calibrating atomic resolution microscopes

Semiconductor linewidths are now so narrow that NIST is measuring them using the regular spacings of atoms in a perfect silicon crystal.

Electrons directed through a specially made silicon line produce evenly spaced images corresponding to the atom spacings. The images can be used like the lines on a ruler to calibrate atomic resolution microscopes.

(illustration by Jeffrey Aarons)
man operating instrument for measuring microcircuit layer alignment

Microcircuits contain a number of superimposed layers. A NIST instrument for measuring circuit layer alignment can help industry improve quality and reduce costs.

(photo ©Robert Rathe)


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date created:1/15/01
last updated: Apr. 05, 2010
contact: inquiries@nist.gov

 

Semiconductor Manufacturing area of NIST in Your Community exhibit.

Faster, smaller, cheaper chips

A short chip history

Fitting more chips on each wafer

Keeping up with Moore's law

Rulers for a Microworld

More semiconductor manufacturing info on the NIST web site