Breaking Through A14 Process, iST Unveils New Era in Materials Analysis

Hsinchu, Taiwan, R.O.C. January 8, 2025 – iST (TWSE:3289),has announced its position as the only third-party laboratory certified by National Taiwan University (NTU) in Taiwan capable of Atom Probe Tomography (APT) sample preparation. The company launches APT needle-shape sample preparation services in Taiwan in January. This groundbreaking technology offers a new solution for semiconductor materials analysis, particularly for advanced nodes such as the A14 process (14 Å), addressing challenges in heterogeneous material integration and 3D component structures.

As semiconductor devices shrink to the nanoscale and angstrom level, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) faces limitations in both spatial resolution of composition analysis and detection limit. APT, however, offers a fresh perspective on materials analysis. Unconstrained by optical diffraction limits, APT enables the precise reconstruction of a sample’s three-dimensional atomic structure at sub-nanometer resolution, with the capability to detect components at the 10 ppm level. This makes APT an essential tool for addressing challenges in semiconductor R&D and yield control.

iST emphasized that APT is particularly suitable for analyzing dopant distributions after rapid thermal annealing, the chemical composition in 3D components, and the microscopic structures of heterogeneous material integration. Its high sensitivity and spatial resolution make it a vital tool for leading global semiconductor companies, including foundries, engaged in cutting-edge research.

Additionally, iST pointed out that APT analysis requires highly precise sample preparation techniques, where the sample must be processed into a needle-like shape with a tip curvature radius of smaller than 100 nm to ensure accurate field evaporation. By technology transfer and collaboration with National Taiwan University, iST has developed efficient sample preparation methods applicable to thin films, FinFET semiconductors, MRAM components, and optoelectronic materials.

This achievement positions iST as the first third-party laboratory in Taiwan to possess APT sample preparation capabilities, marking a new milestone in materials analysis services.