Asianometry Let’s Break Down the 45nm Process Node
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Nov 30, 2025 Explore the intriguing history of the 45-nanometer process node and its impact on the tech industry. Delve into the basics of MOSFETs and CMOS, highlighting crucial yield checks and wafer cleaning techniques. Discover the evolution from LOCOS to Shallow Trench Isolation and the challenges faced with gate construction. Learn about strain engineering for NMOS and PMOS, as well as the intricate process of salicide formation and copper damascene interconnects. Reflect on the remarkable complexity of semiconductor technology and its ongoing R&D efforts.
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Fundamentals Of The MOSFET And Yield
- MOSFETs use a gate, gate oxide, source, and drain to form a controllable channel for charge carriers.
- Asianometry emphasizes parametric and catastrophic yield as key metrics for device scaling.
Validate Wafers Before You Start
- Check wafers for dopant concentration, crystallographic defects, and warping before processing.
- Use four-point probes, XRD, and profilometers to prevent downstream lithography and device failures.
Why STI Replaced LOCOS
- Shallow Trench Isolation (STI) replaced LOCOS to avoid bird's-beaking and surface non-uniformities.
- STI uses thermal oxide, silicon nitride stop layers, trench etch, TEOS CVD fill, anneal, and CMP for planarization.