Feeling the strain
An electron holography technique developed by researchers at CEMES-CNRS in Toulouse is said to enable deformation in a crystal lattice to be mapped with high precision and resolution.
The measurement device is claimed to overcome nearly all the limitations of current methods and should not only enable manufacturers to improve microprocessor production, but also to optimise future computers.
Although strained silicon – where the crystal lattice is deformed to improve electron mobility – is used in most recent microprocessors, CEMES-CNRS researchers say the deformation can’t be analysed accurately. Because of this, they haven’t had complete control over chip design. Being able to measure strain will change this, says the team.
The approach uses electron holography to measure deformation in materials to a resolution of better than 0.5pm. Spatial resolution is said to be ‘on the nanometer scale’. The device can also measure larger areas – microns, rather than nanometres – and samples up to 300nm thick.
