-
About Us
-
Functional Module
-
Service and Support
For the first time! China achieves a new breakthrough in the chip industry.
Category:
Industry News
Author:
Source:
Release time:
2025-10-27
Visits:
Lithography technology is one of the key driving forces behind the continuous miniaturization of integrated circuit chip manufacturing processes. Recently, Professor Hailin Peng's team from the School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering at Peking University, along with collaborators, used cryo-electron tomography to achieve, for the first time, an in-situ analysis of the microscopic three-dimensional structure, interfacial distribution, and entanglement behavior of photoresist molecules in a liquid-phase environment. This groundbreaking research has paved the way for developing industrial-scale solutions that significantly reduce lithography defects. The related paper was recently published in *Nature Communications*.
"Developing" is one of the core steps in photolithography, during which the exposed areas of the photoresist are dissolved by the developer solution, precisely transferring the circuit pattern onto the silicon wafer. The photoresist acts like the pigment used to etch the circuitry—its movement within the developer solution directly determines how accurately and effectively the circuit is drawn, ultimately influencing the yield of the final chip. For a long time, the microscopic behavior of photoresist in the developer solution has remained a "black box," forcing the industry to rely on trial-and-error for process optimization. This has become one of the key bottlenecks hindering the improvement of yield in advanced manufacturing processes at 7nm and below.
To tackle this challenging problem, the research team has, for the first time, introduced cryo-electron tomography technology into the semiconductor field. Researchers have successfully synthesized a microscopic 3D "panoramic image" with resolution better than 5 nanometers, effectively overcoming the three major limitations of traditional techniques: the inability to perform in-situ, three-dimensional, high-resolution observations.
Peng Hailin stated that cryo-electron tomography technology provides a powerful tool for resolving various liquid-phase interfacial reactions at the atomic and molecular levels. A deeper understanding of polymer structures and their microscopic behaviors in liquids can help advance defect control and improve yield in critical processes such as lithography, etching, and wet cleaning—key steps in cutting-edge manufacturing techniques.
Source: Science and Technology Daily
Related News
2025/03/05
Technical Support Hotline
E-MAIL:
Technical Support Hotline: 86-13861996325
Address:
4th Floor, Building 5, No. 2 Haiyang South Road, Chengnan Street, Rugao City, Jiangsu Province
Subscribe to us for the latest updates
Mobile Station
WeChat Official Account
Copyright © KOSEN SEMI (JIANGSU) MICROELECTRONICS CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.