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South Africa

Semiconductor etch without the sketch

For the first time, researchers watch and control 3D semiconductor etching in real time, a potential time and resource saver for industry.
Semiconductor etch without the sketch

To craft some of the most complex semiconductors, manufacturers etch pre-defined patterns into wafers, carving out structures layer by layer. The processes can be time-consuming and are executed blindly, leaving few opportunities to monitor the etching or make any necessary adjustments.

Now, researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have developed a technique to watch and control the etching of semiconductors as it is happening, with a height resolution at the scale of nanometres - billionths of a metre.

The researchers describe the technique in the 28 September 2012, issue of Light: Science & Applications, an open-access, peer-reviewed publication from the Nature Publishing Group.

In that paper, the researchers explain how they combined real-time observations from epi-illumination diffraction phase microscopy (epi-DPM) with photochemical etching techniques to manufacture gallium arsenide micro-lenses as a proof-of-concept for the techniques. Read the article.

Source: Quest

Quest – Science for South Africa is a quarterly publication of the Academy of Science for South Africa. It is a popular science magazine which is distributed to selected schools and institutions. It is also available for sale at selected Exclusive Books and CNA bookstores countrywide.

Quest – Science for South Africa is also available as a Mobi-site on your cell phone - www.questinteractive.co.za.

Go to: www.questinteractive.co.za
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