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Industry Cooperation
- Publish Date：2023-10-17
Leading the development of integrated circuits: NYCU collaborate with TSMC to research and develop ultra-thin layer semiconductor technology
NYCU collaborate with TSMC to research and develop ultra-thin layer semiconductor technology
Translated by Professor Haydn Chen
Published 11:30 AM CST, Tue October 17, 2023
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The National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) of Taiwan has had a long-lasting working relationship with TSMC since its inception.
The recent hiring of two former Chief Technology Officers of TSMC, Dr. Chenming Calvin Hu and Dr. Yuancheng Jack Sun, as professors has further enriched and enhanced the collaborative partnership between the two institutions.This partnership has yielded numerous cooperative achievements published in prestigious international journals.
On October 11, 2023, NYCU announced that the research team led by Professor Der-Hsien Lien, a junior chair professor at the Department of Engineering, in collaboration with TSMC, has achieved a new breakthrough that was published in “Nature Communications”[1].
Published 11:30 AM CST, Tue October 17, 2023
______
The National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) of Taiwan has had a long-lasting working relationship with TSMC since its inception.
The recent hiring of two former Chief Technology Officers of TSMC, Dr. Chenming Calvin Hu and Dr. Yuancheng Jack Sun, as professors has further enriched and enhanced the collaborative partnership between the two institutions.This partnership has yielded numerous cooperative achievements published in prestigious international journals.
On October 11, 2023, NYCU announced that the research team led by Professor Der-Hsien Lien, a junior chair professor at the Department of Engineering, in collaboration with TSMC, has achieved a new breakthrough that was published in “Nature Communications”[1].
NYCU’s Professor Der-Hsien Lien and doctoral candidate Po-Han Tseng
Subthreshold Voltage Modulation in Ultra-Thin Semiconductors Solved by Prof. Lien’s Team
In their latest groundbreaking research, they introduced a photo-thermal combined method and combined it with ultraviolet irradiation and oxygen annealing techniques, leading to a new direction in IC technology.
As semiconductor components continue to shrink in size, research into two-dimensional and quasi-two-dimensional thin semiconductor materials has been on the rise. However, adjusting the threshold voltage (VT) in ultra-thin transistors by changing the carrier concentration of materials has been a highly challenging task.
This is because the dimensions of the materials have approached or even become smaller than the size of doped atoms, making electron transport and control extremely difficult. Thus, effectively regulating the threshold voltage has become a formidable challenge.
In their latest groundbreaking research, they introduced a photo-thermal combined method and combined it with ultraviolet irradiation and oxygen annealing techniques, leading to a new direction in IC technology.
As semiconductor components continue to shrink in size, research into two-dimensional and quasi-two-dimensional thin semiconductor materials has been on the rise. However, adjusting the threshold voltage (VT) in ultra-thin transistors by changing the carrier concentration of materials has been a highly challenging task.
This is because the dimensions of the materials have approached or even become smaller than the size of doped atoms, making electron transport and control extremely difficult. Thus, effectively regulating the threshold voltage has become a formidable challenge.
Photo-Thermal Method Advances Wide-Area VT Modulation in Ultra-Thin Semiconductors for Low-Power Circuits and Non-von Neumann Computing
In this research, a photo-thermal combined method is introduced that combines ultraviolet irradiation and oxygen annealing. This process successfully achieved wide and large-area VT modulation in ultra-thin indium oxide (In2O3) transistors. This method allows for both positive and negative threshold voltage adjustments and is a reversible operation.
By controlling VT, the research team achieved a depletion-load inverter and multi-step logic, demonstrating its potential in low-power circuit design and non-von Neumann computing applications. They also highlighted the practical applicability of this method beyond testing by achieving wafer-scale threshold voltage modulation through an automated laser system.
NYCU: A Leading Force in Semiconductor Research and Collaboration
NYCU has been a leading university in the world with a proven history in semiconductor research and development.The recent establishment of two colleges, the International College of Semiconductor Technology and the Industry Academia Innovation School, is further evidence of NYCU’s commitment to talent cultivation in this important field.
In a global effort for the Semiconductor Workforce Advancement Program (SWAP), NYCU is partnering with Purdue University and others. The strength of NUCU in semiconductor research is also reflected in the many research centers that are in close cooperation with a number of world-top companies, as can be seen in the following figure.
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