By controlling nanoscale strain in the processors.
Until now, the strain was difficult to observe. Now, thanks to a new electron holography technique, which measures magnetic and electric fields, it is possible to map deformation in a crystal lattice with precision and resolution never before attained. Invented by researchers at the Center for the Development of Structural Materials and Studies (CEMES-CNRS), the technique has appeal as it measures deformation (compression, tension and shear strain) in numerous materials with high precision, exceeding 0.1% or 0.5 picometers, and high spatial resolution to the order of a nanometer. However, the real innovation compared to standard techniques is that larger areas (a micrometer rather than the previous 100 nanometers) can be analyzed with a degree of precision that has never been reached before.
The technique, which CNRS patented in September 2007, has many other advantages. Samples that are ten times thicker than previous samples (300nm) can be studied, thus guaranteeing that observations are accurate. The thicker the sample, the less the strain is relaxed and the closer the measured strain is to that of a real system. Unlike other techniques that require several preliminary simulations, the measurements are taken directly. Eventually, the technique should become the leading method for measuring crystal lattice strain at the nanometer scale. It will optimize strain modeling in transistors and enhance their electric efficiency.
