A household microwave oven modified by a Cornell Engineering professor is helping to cook up the next generation of cellphones, computers and other electronics after the invention was shown to overcome a major challenge faced by the semiconductor industry. | |
The research is detailed in a paper in Applied Physics Letters (“Efficient and stable activation by microwave annealing of nanosheet silicon doped with phosphorus above its solubility limit”). The lead author is James Hwang, a research professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering; other Cornell contributors are doctoral student Chandrasekhar Savant and former postdoctoral researcher Mohammed Javad Asadi. |
Producing the materials that make up transistors and other microchip components is similar to baking in that material ingredients must be mixed together and then heated, among other steps, in order to produce a desired electrical current. For instance, phosphorus is added to silicon and then the mixture is annealed, or heated, to position the phosphorus atoms into the correct place so that they are active in current conduction. | |
But as microchips continue to shrink, the silicon must be doped, or mixed, with higher concentrations of phosphorus to produce the desired current. Semiconductor manufacturers are now approaching a critical limit in which heating the highly doped materials using traditional methods no longer produces consistently functional semiconductors. | |
“We need concentrations of phosphorus that are higher than its equilibrium solubility in silicon. That goes against nature,” Hwang said. “The silicon crystal expands, causing immense strain and making it potentially useless for electronics.” | |
The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) had theorized that microwaves could be used to activate the excess dopants, but just like with household microwave ovens that sometimes heat food unevenly, previous microwave annealers produced “standing waves” that prevented consistent dopant activation. So TSMC partnered with Hwang, who modified a microwave oven to selectively control where the standing waves occur. Such precision allows for the proper activation of the dopants without excessive heating or damage of the silicon crystal. | |
This discovery could be used to produce semiconductor materials and electronics appearing around the year 2025, said Hwang, who has filed two patents for the prototype microwave annealer with postdoctoral researcher Gianluca Fabi. | |
“A few manufacturers are currently producing semiconductor materials that are 3 nanometers,” Hwang said. “This new microwave approach can potentially enable leading manufacturers such as TSMC and Samsung to scale down to just 2 nanometers.” | |
The breakthrough could change the geometry of transistors used in microchips. For more than 20 years, transistors have been made to stand up like dorsal fins so that more can be packed on each microchip, but manufacturers have recently begun to experiment with a new architecture in which transistors are stacked horizontally as nanosheets that can further increase the density and control of transistors. The excessively doped materials enabled by microwave annealing would be key to the new architecture. |
News
Global Warming and Plastic Pollution Are Inextricably Trapped in a “Vicious Circle”
Typically viewed as unrelated problems, global warming and plastic pollution are instead inextricably trapped in a “vicious circle” where one feeds the other, researchers in Sweden report in Nature Communications. The mutually-reinforcing relationship escalates global [...]
Primordial Fuel: Uncovering Hydrogen’s Role at the Origin of Life
Hydrogen gas, dubbed the energy of the future, has been providing energy since 4 billion years ago. A recent study reveals how hydrogen gas, often touted as the energy source of tomorrow, provided energy [...]
COVID-19 Had a Much Greater Impact on Life Expectancy Than Previously Thought
A recent study published in The Lancet never-before-seen unprecedented details on the exceptionally high death rates due to the COVID-19 pandemic both within nations and internationally. Regions including Mexico City, Peru, and Bolivia experienced some of the most [...]
Molecular Majesty: This Is How the Body’s Building Blocks Are Made
Human cells contain ribosomes, a complex machine that produces proteins for the rest of the body. Now the researchers have come closer to understanding how the ribosome works. “It is amazing that we can [...]
U.S. issue warning about return of potentially deadly virus
The American South has been under constant duress from extreme weather events spurred by rising global temperatures, but the region could face a different kind of threat that it hasn't experienced in over a century: yellow fever. [...]
Climate Change Ignites Global Infectious Disease Alarm
Experts highlight the connection between climate change and infectious diseases, urging medical professionals to prepare for new disease patterns and advocate for climate action. A team of infectious diseases experts called for more awareness [...]
How Lignin Nanoparticles Enhance UV Protection in Sunscreen Formulas
The innovative realm of cosmetic science has recently spotlighted lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) for their exceptional potential in fortifying sun protection measures within skincare products. These nanoparticles are celebrated for their superior ability to block [...]
mRNA lipid nanoparticles for next-generation oral cancer tumor suppressor therapy
A study aiming to develop a lipid nanoparticles (LNP) platform for treating oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) utilizing p53 mRNA was presented at the 102nd General Session of the IADR, which was held in conjunction [...]
Scientists have literally cut HIV out of cells
HIV has been completely eliminated from cells in a laboratory, raising hopes of a future cure. Researchers completed the revolutionary task by using a gene-editing tool known as Crispr-Cas, which won the Nobel Prize in 2020, [...]
Common Medication Could Save Half a Million Lives Each Year – So Why Isn’t It?
A recent study conducted by scientists at the University of Southern California sheds light on the reasons why children are not receiving an affordable and effective diarrhea treatment. Medical professionals in developing nations are [...]
X Marks the Spot: AI’s Treasure Maps Lead to Early Disease Detection
Medical diagnostics expert, doctor’s assistant, and cartographer are all fair titles for an artificial intelligence model developed by researchers at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology. Their new model accurately identifies tumors [...]
Scientists Discover Method To Identify Alzheimer’s Disease Before It Progresses to Dementia
Researchers at Aarhus University have discovered a method to identify Alzheimer’s disease before it progresses to dementia, potentially opening up new avenues for treatment. A groundbreaking study could pave the way for early detection [...]
Startling Discovery: COVID-19 Virus Can Stay in the Body More Than a Year After Infection
The COVID-19 virus can persist in the blood and tissue of patients for more than a year after the acute phase of the illness has ended, according to new research from UC San Francisco that offers potential [...]
New bioengineered protein design shows promise in fighting COVID-19
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists have been racing to develop effective treatments and preventatives against the virus. A recent scientific breakthrough has emerged from the work of researchers aiming to combat [...]
Sugar-coated gold nanoparticles can quickly eliminate bacterial infections, no antibiotics required
If left to their own devices, bacteria on our teeth or wounded skin can encase themselves in a slimy scaffolding, turning into what is called biofilm. These bacteria wreak havoc on our tissue and, [...]
Liquid Lightning: Nanotechnology Unlocks New Energy
EPFL researchers have discovered that nanoscale devices harnessing the hydroelectric effect can harvest electricity from the evaporation of fluids with higher ion concentrations than purified water, revealing a vast untapped energy potential. Evaporation is a natural [...]