Awards

Dr. Julia Hsu, (PI), Dr. Kevin Brenner (Co-PI) , and Dr. Cormac Toher (Co-PI) received a National Science Foundation project of$1.9 million expected for 3 years

FuSe2 Topic 3: Co-designing Indium-based Sol-gel Precursors for Extreme Ultraviolet Resist and Back-end-of-the-line Oxide Nanoelectronics

With the support of the Future of Semiconductors (FuSe) Program, Professors Julia Hsu, Cormac Toher and Kevin Brenner of The University of Texas at Dallas, Professor Howard Katz of Johns Hopkins University, and Professor Chih-Hao Chang of The University of Texas at Austin will establish a groundbreaking framework to develop new materials for advanced computer chips.

This project will use indium-based materials to co-design two key aspects of chip manufacturing: Materials used to create tiny chip features, and the transistors (miniature switches) on these chips that enable them to do computing. The new materials will be designed for extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) patterning, to produce smaller, more precise features on chips, leading to better performance and energy efficiency.

Additionally, a novel low-temperature method will be used to convert these features into high-performance transistors, potentially reducing production costs and environmental impact. The project will also include a workforce development program to train community college students for careers in the semiconductor industry, addressing the growing need for skilled technicians in North Texas. Collaborations with industry partners will provide students with hands-on experience and career opportunities in this crucial field.
The research objectives will include:
(1) Designing novel indium-based EUV resists using computational and machine learning tools to optimize both material and device properties;
(2) synthesizing and characterizing precursors for indium oxide transistors, and assessing their performance in film patterning and transistor fabrication;
(3) evaluating the resolution, line edge roughness, and sensitivity of the resist films, and
(4) creating high-performance indium oxide transistors using photonically cured EUV-patterned resists and measuring their electrical performance.

The co-designed materials will leverage the high EUV absorption cross-section of indium, and the potential high performance of indium oxide transistors, increasing material economy and device performance and reducing processing steps and waste.

The project will investigate hypotheses such as whether pre-complexed fuels can increase indium density for more sensitive resists, if lower-nitrate indium precursors can reduce feature roughness and environmental impact, and whether incorporating visible-light-absorbing chromophores can enhance photonic annealing for better transistor performance.

Additionally, machine learning will be employed to drive the co-design of EUV resists and back-end-of-the-line devices, testing the fundamental limitations of sol-gel processing in material scalability.