Applied Materials announces commercial availability of CFE technology

Applied Materials announced the commercial availability of "cold field emission" technology. The company called the technology, "a breakthough in eBeam imaging that enables customers to better detect and image nanometer-scale, buried defects to speed the development and production of next-generation Gate-All-Around logic chips as well as higher-density DRAM and 3D NAND memories." Applied Materials added, "Chipmakers use eBeam technology to identify and characterize defects that are too small to be seen with optical systems. Finding surface and buried defects is becoming increasingly challenging as chipmakers push the limits of 2D logic and DRAM scaling using EUV lithography and transition to complex 3D architectures like GAA logic transistors and 3D NAND memories. A breakthrough in eBeam imaging resolution and speed would enable chipmakers to accelerate chip development and make greater use of eBeam technology in high-volume manufacturing."