# Presentation: 195478

## Nanoelectronics at the National Institute of Standards and Technology 

- February 5, 2008

- Nanoelectronics at the National Institute of Standards and Technology

- David G. Seiler, Chief
- Semiconductor Electronics Division

## Agenda

- Nanoelectronics at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (10 min.)David Seiler, Semiconductor Electronics Division
- Test Structures to Enable Emerging Nanoelectronics* *(20 min.)* *Curt A. Richter, Semiconductor Electronics Division
- Spin Transfer Effects in Magnetic Nanostructures (20 min.) William Rippard, Stephen Russek, Ranko Heindl, Thomas Silva, Electromagnetics Division and Matthew Pufall, Denver University
- Speed Bumps in Graphene (20 min.) Joseph A. Stroscio, NIST Fellow, Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology

## National Institute of Standards and Technology

**NIST Mission**
- To promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing
- measurement science,
- standards, and
- technology
- 	in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life
**NIST Assets Include:**
- 2,900 employees
- 1,800 associates
- $843 million operating budget
- NIST Laboratories – National measurement standards
- Manufacturing Extension Partnership
- Baldrige National Quality Award
- Technology Innovation Program

- “...NIST is the only Federal research agency with the express mission of working with industry to keep US technology at the leading edge...”
- Science for the 21st Century, July 2004

## NIST Collaborates with Partners in a Variety of Ways

**Informal collaborations** (e.g., joint peer-reviewed papers, short-term visits or tours of NIST laboratories, sharing of research methods)
**Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs).** A formal partnering agreement that allows federal laboratories to work with U.S. companies, academia, and other organizations on joint research and development projects.
**Guest Researcher Arrangements.** NIST provides opportunities for technically qualified individuals to work at NIST with Institute staff on projects of mutual interest for periods ranging from a few months to several years.
**Use of Designated Facilities.** NIST has several unique and valuable laboratory facilities available for use by U.S. organizations for both proprietary and non-proprietary research.

## Our Partnerships with the Semiconductor Industry

**Student Sponsorships**
**Technical Advisory Board Members**
**Workshops and Conferences**
**NIST IPA Assignment to SRC (1998-1999)**
**Standards**
**Symposiums, Workshops, and Conferences**
**NIST Assignee On Site**
**Workshops and Conferences**
**Collaborative Research**
**Advisory Boards and Working Groups**
**Emerging Research Materials**
**Emerging Research Devices**
**RF and A/MS Technologies**
**Front End Processes**
**Metrology**
**Documentary Standards and Measurement Techniques**
**Conference and Workshop Leadership (IRW, IRPS, IEDM)**
**Especially in reliability**
**High-priority research projects identified by the NRI**

**Notes:**
Long history of extensive involvement with the semiconductor industry

Radio Frequency (RF) and Analog/Mixed Signal (A/MS) Technologies

## NIST Partnership with SRC-NRI

- The partnership will fund a variety of high-priority research projects identified by the Nanoelectronics Research Initiative (NRI), which coordinates research in nanoelectronics among major universities across the country.
- "By selecting NRI for long-term partnership, we are facilitating research that will continue critical advances in future-generation computer technology.  Those gains will support America’s continued leadership in the field of nanoelectronics.  By collaborating with NRI-sponsored researchers, NIST will be able to ensure that its programs focus on developing critical measurement tools likely to accelerate advances in the nanoelectronics field." 				- James Turner, acting director of NIST
- "This is an exciting match in many ways. NRI is gaining not only a new funding partner, but one with deep technological expertise.  This will be made a true partnership with strong collaboration among NRI and NIST researchers for scientific input on the ongoing NRI university research programs." 				- Jeff Welser, director of the SRC-NRI

- September 13, 2007www.nist.gov/public_affairs/releases/src.html

## The NIST Laboratories

**NIST’s work enables**
** ****Science**
** ****Technology innovation**
** ****Trade**
** ****Public benefit**
**NIST works with**
** ****Industry**
** ****Academia**
** ****Other agencies**
** ****Government agencies**
** ****Measurement laboratories**
** ****Standards organizations**

**Notes:**
Added New OUs CNST and NCNR to graphic

## Examples of Major Nanoelectronics Thrusts of NIST

- Molecular electronics*
- Spintronics*
- Graphene*
- Nanophotonics
- Nanomagnetics
- Nanomaterials characterization
- Basic nanoscale metrology
- Nanobiotechnology
- Quantum devices and measurements
- Quantum information
- Carbon nanotubes, nanowires, quantum dots, etc.

- *Presented at the e-workshop

## Counting Individual Photons with a Quantum Dot Optically Gated Field Effect Transistor

- First transistor-based detector to count numbers of photons
- Persistent photoconductivity when a photon is absorbed
- Signal proportional to number of photons absorbed
- Photon number discrimination possible at a wide range of engineerable wavelengths

- E.J. Gansen et al., “Photon-number-discriminating detection using a quantum dot, optically gated, field-effect transistor,” Nature Photonics, 2007.

- richard.mirin@nist.gov

## Single Molecule Mass Spectrometry

- Developed an *in situ* mass spectrometry technique, using biological nanopores.

**The first *****solely***** electronic mass spectrometer**
- Complimentary to existing mass spectrometric techniques
- Inexpensive equipment needs compared to traditional mass spectrometry
- Can be scaled in complexity with both biological and semiconductor based nanopores
- Many potential uses: medical diagnostics, polymer manufacturing, DNA sequencing, *etc*.

- Robertson, et al. *Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, May 2007*

- The interaction between a polymer and a nanopore is monitored by measuring _ionic current_ flowing under an applied potential.

- Polymer-induced blockades are used to produce a mass spectrum equivalent to MALDI-TOF

- Measurement and fabrication equipment located both within and outside of cleanroom
- 19,000 sq ft cleanroom (8,000 sq ft class 100)
- Advanced lithography and microscopy
- Experienced staff to train users or operate the tools
- Open to all users
- Shared use - based on NSF model, e.g. similar to Cornell Nanoscale Facility

*A national, state-of-the-art, shared use facility for the fabrication and measurement of nanostructures*

**CNST – NIST’s Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology**

**The Nanofab:**

## The CNST Research Program (portion relevant to future electronics):

- Developing enabling measurement methods for future electronics in collaboration with partners from NIST, industry, academia or other government agencies.

- Nanoplasmonics
- - Lezec

- Nanophotonics
- - Srinivasan

- Atomic scale structure and electronic structure, e.g. graphene, spintronic systems - Stroscio

- Nanomagnetic dynamics
-  - McMichael

- Nanoscale magnetic device imaging - Unguris

**The CNST Research Program (portion relevant to future electronics):**

- For information: cnst.nist.gov

- Transport in nanodevices - Zhitenev

- Theory of nanoscale electronic and magnetoelectronic devices - Stiles

## Nanoelectronics Imaging and Metrology

**Nanoelectronics Imaging and Metrology**

- Slide courtesy of Michael Postek, Precision Engineering Division

## Helium Ion Microscope (HIM)

**First of this new type of instrument has recently been installed at NIST within the Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory, Precision Engineering Division**
**Helium ions (He****+****) are used to irradiate the sample**
**HIM resolution is expected to be 0.25 nm or 4 times better than the best current large sample SEMs**
**Detail obscuring specimen coating is eliminated**
**Surface detail information is enhanced due to physics of signal formation**
**Application of NIST expertise to the study of the understanding of the physics of this instrument will facilitate more accurate measurements and standards development.**
***Will this be the next production CD tool?***

- Slide courtesy of Michael Postek, Precision Engineering Division

## Quantum Science: Infrastructure for 21st Century Innovation

- Quantum Science: Infrastructure for 21st Century Innovation

- The laws of physics are fundamentally different in the quantum world of atoms, electrons, and light particles.  This enables revolutionary potential for:
- Measurement capabilities otherwise impossible “classically”
- “Unbreakable” codes (i.e. to protect financial transactions)
- Powerful computers capable of solving problems impractical to solve today
- NIST is a recognized world leader in the field
- Activities include:
- Exploiting the unique properties of the quantum 	world
- Advancing research on quantum information
- Developing fundamentally new and unique
- measurement tools and methods
- Leveraging the partnership with the Joint
- Quantum Institute (NIST, Univ. of MD, and NSA)

- Magnesium ions loaded into NIST's new planar ion trap.

- Credit: Seidelin and Chiaverini/NIST

## NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR)www.ncnr.nist.gov

**Neutron-based measurements are critical for 21****st**** century innovation **
- Determining the structure of materials and devices at the nanometer scale
- Discover advanced new materials for technologies beyond semiconductors
- NCNR is the most reliable, most capable & most used facility for cold neutron research in the United States, serving over 2000 research participants per year
- Neutron Techniques
- crystallography, reflectometry, small angle neutron scattering, spectroscopy, chemical analysis, and other methods (including interferometry, radiography, and fundamental physics)
- Center for High Resolution Neutron Scattering (CHRNS)
- Is a joint NSF/NIST national user facility within NCNR for use by the general scientific community

## 2009 Metrology Conference Provides Focal Point for Frontiers of Semiconductor Metrology

**Craig Barrett, formerly President, Intel**

**Mark Melliar-Smith, formerly President and CEO of SEMATECH**

**Dennis Buss, VP, Silicon Tech. Development, Texas Instruments**

**over 235 attendees**

**over 295 attendees**

**over 280 attendees**

**Some Keynote Speakers**

- 1995

- 1998

- 2000

- 2003

**Bob Helms, formerly President and CEO of SEMATECH**

**over 200 attendees**

- 2005

**Michael Polcari, President and CEO of SEMATECH**

**over 250 attendees**

- 2007

**over 230 attendees**

**Mark Durcan, COO of ****Micron**

**May 11-14, 2009, College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, University at Albany**

- “If you want to meet, greet, and learn from the world’s experts in metrology, this is the place to be.“
- Dan Hutcheson, The Chip Insider, January 11, 2007

## Summary

- Nanoelectronics research permeates NIST laboratories
- NIST has many partnerships in the semiconductor community
- NIST welcomes the new partnership with the NRI
- Enjoy and learn from the distinguished speakers in today’s e-workshop!

## Agenda

- Test Structures to Enable Emerging Nanoelectronics* *(20 min.)* *Curt A. Richter, Semiconductor Electronics Division
- Spin Transfer Effects in Magnetic Nanostructures (20 min.) William Rippard, Stephen Russek, Ranko Heindl, Thomas Silva, Electromagnetics Division and Matthew Pufall, Denver University
- Speed Bumps in Graphene (20 min.) Joseph A. Stroscio, NIST Fellow, Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology