Counting Atoms — and Defects — in Semiconductors
Nov 1, 2007 — For semiconductors, the mantra is “smaller, faster, cheaper.” Continuing shrinkage of transistors has allowed industry to follow the axiom known as Moore’s law for decades. Eventually, transistors will be so small that the number of atoms present will make a difference. That day is looming, and so are some associated problems, according to the results of researchers from Imago Scientific Instruments Corp. of Madison, Wis., and from IBM Corp. in Hopewell Junction, N.Y.
Researchers examined...