EDITORIAL
Analytical Challenges in Nanofabrication Since the introduction of the transistor in 1948, semiconductor devices have had a profound impact on life and society. Fabrication of objects with dimensions and tolerances smaller than can be achieved by conventional machine tools has led to the revolution in semiconduc tor electronics technology. In April the National Nanofabrication Facility (NNF) at Cornell University celebrated its tenth anniversary with a forum featuring progress in the field and new technological challenges that were reviewed by leading experts. With sup port from the National Science Founda tion, industry, and the university, the NNF has built a national research center with resources for fabricating structures at nanometer dimensions that are avail able to the research community. Nanofabrication is the extension of integrated-circuit fabrication methods to dimensions 100 times smaller than are needed for today's microcircuits. The subject is driven as much by scientific curiosity as by the desire to make smaller devices for physics and technology. It is the exploration of the ultimate limits of theory and fabrication. Advances in high-resolution electron, ion, and X-ray lithographic techniques for decreasing lateral dimensions and deposition methods for decreasing verti cal dimensions and tailoring layer inter faces have been accompanied by the
need for high-resolution/high-sensitiv ity methods of physical and chemical characterization. Each fabrication step requires characterization tools to opti mize and qualify the process. Instrumen tation that can deliver a broad range of information about the characteristics and quality of semiconductor materials and devices is therefore vital to further progress in the field. Although most attention seems to be focused on the results of the fabricators, the important role of the analyst must be recognized. Exploration of submicrometer and nanometer dimensions has led to significant advances in a broad array of microscopic and microprobe surface and near-surface methods of analysis, including scanning electron mi croscopy (SEM), scanning tunneling mi croscopy, field-emission SEM, scanning Auger microprobe, secondary ion mass spectrometry, transmission electron microscopes, and Raman and photolu minescence spectroscopy, to name some of the primary methods. New device technology has supplied the driving force for many of these developments, so it is clear that as the fabricator strives for the ultimate limits so must the analyst.
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ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, VOL. 60, NO. 15, AUGUST 1, 1988 · 881 A
