ALBANY, N.Y. –– SEMATECH, the global consortium of chipmakers, announced today that Bruker Nano Surfaces, a division of Bruker Corporation, has joined SEMATECH to develop new semiconductor defect characterization solutions for advanced materials development. The collaboration will generate the first-ever detailed information database that allows Bruker’s patented PeakForce QNM® mechanical force data to be correlated to nano-particle materials.

As a member, Bruker will collaborate with metrology experts at SEMATECH to develop high-resolution atomic force microscope (AFM) based defect analysis capabilities, linked to material data provided by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis with advanced energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). These techniques will provide the high-resolution imaging and compositional data on the scale of a few nanometers, which is invaluable for in-line defect analysis.

“SEMATECH will be able to maximize the capability of high-resolution imaging and analytical data output for next-generation semiconductor devices with Bruker’s unique quantitative nanomechanical data based on PeakForce Tapping technology,” said Mark R. Munch, Ph.D., president of Bruker MAT Group and Bruker Nano Surfaces Division. “Partnering with SEMATECH will enable us to provide detailed information about mechanical properties that can be combined with atomic arrangement, chemical bonding, density and electronic behavior on a nanometer scale. The result is a much more complete profile of each material than would have been possible without AFM.”

“SEMATECH’s Metrology program is a prime example of SEMATECH’s collaborative model in which leading equipment and materials manufacturers can participate in a broader consortium-university-industry partnership to develop cutting-edge metrology and characterization techniques,” said Michael Lercel, SEMATECH senior director of Nanodefectivity and Metrology. “The collaborative effort among world-class researchers and engineers from Bruker and SEMATECH—along with access to critical analytical equipment—form an important cornerstone in providing world-leading advanced metrology capabilities to our members.”

The semiconductor industry lacks a long-term solution that combines defect sensitivity and throughput requirements at development, ramp-up or high-volume manufacturing phases. With defect inspection and review approaching their fundamental limits, SEMATECH is working with leading suppliers to develop faster sample preparation techniques, by both optimizing existing technologies, testing novel methods and developing new characterization technologies that will address current and projected metrology gaps.

About Bruker

Bruker Corporation (NASDAQ: BRKR) is a leading provider of high performance scientific instruments and solutions for molecular and materials research, as well as diagnostics, industrial, clinical and applied analysis. . For more information, please visit www.bruker.com.