SEMATECH Visit to the National Synchrotron Light Source

On February 4, 2008, Synchrotron Methods Group researchers hosted a SEMATECH visit to the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) at Brookhaven National Laboratory. SEMATECH is a non-profit consortium that provides and supports research in semiconductor manufacturing, with global membership representing about half the world’s semiconductor production. The NIST-organized visit provided an opportunity for SEMATECH technical managers to meet Ceramics Division staff and management and enhance the value of ongoing technical collaborations involving synchrotron measurements of next-generation semiconductor materials. The SEMATECH visitors were first given a detailed tour of the NIST NSLS beamlines, highlighting the opportunities for nanoscale measurements of the local structure and chemistry of the complex electronic thin films and interfaces currently being developed in the semiconductor industry. Following the technical beamline tour, a programmatic discussion was held that was directed towards formalizing the relationship between SEMATECH and the Ceramics Division for synchrotron measurements and other NIST-based measurement opportunities in the Ceramics Division; a joint vision emerged and is being moved forward.  In the afternoon the NSLS Chair held a meeting for Ceramics Division and SEMATECH management regarding Brookhaven’s new Joint Photon Sciences Institute (JPSI).  NIST and SEMATECH are expected to play a leading role in JPSI, which will serve as a gateway to develop and enhance scientific programs that best utilize NSLS-II, the planned successor synchrotron light source to the NSLS.  Finally, the meeting participants were treated to a personal tour of Brookhaven’s new Center for Functional Nanomaterials by the Center Director. The tour highlighted several complementary nanotechnology measurement capabilities of potential benefit to the Ceramics-SEMATECH partnership in synchrotron measurements. In summary, the SEMATECH visit to NSLS was successful in providing SEMATECH management with a first hand view of exciting synchrotron nanoscale measurement opportunities and provided SEMATECH and Ceramics Division management an opportunity to make a strong commitment to increase and formalize the existing collaborative relationship.