Chipmetrics and Park Systems: Enabling the Next Generation of Semiconductor Metrology
As semiconductor devices continue to scale into fully three-dimensional architectures, traditional metrology approaches are reaching their limits. Advanced nodes, heterogeneous integration, and novel materials demand not only higher resolution – but deeper insight into how nanoscale physical properties translate into yield, reliability, and performance. Against this backdrop, Chipmetrics and Park Systems are working together to […]
Metrology Alone Isn’t Enough for Next-Generation 3D NAND
A recent Semiconductor Engineering article, “Metrology Digs Deep to Produce Next-Generation 3D NAND,” highlights the growing difficulty of measuring and controlling increasingly complex 3D NAND structures as the industry pushes toward higher stack counts and ever more extreme aspect ratios. The message is clear: as 3D NAND architectures scale vertically, metrology must evolve just as […]
Pocket wafers + test chips for ALD: faster conformality learning, lower risk
Atomic layer deposition (ALD) lives or dies by conformality and surface chemistry. Pocket wafers loaded with discrete ALD test chips let you characterize both – quickly – on real 200/300 mm tools without burning product wafers. TL;DR A pocket wafer is a carrier wafer with machined/etched pockets that can hold separate test chips (coupons). For ALD, […]
PillarHall® LHAR5: Accelerating ALD Process Control in Next-Generation Memory Fabs
Executive Summary As semiconductor device geometries enter the 3D era, the complexity of Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) processes for DRAM and other advanced memories has escalated. The PillarHall LHAR5 chip provides an in-situ, repeatable means to evaluate ALD conformality, film uniformity, and process drift under true production conditions. By integrating LHAR5 pocket wafers into existing […]
Spotting a “Second Growth Front” in ALD Trenches
Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is prized for coating deep, high-aspect-ratio (HAR) features. Using Chipmetrics’ PillarHall® lateral HAR test structures, we have now identified an unexpected second growth front that starts at the closed end of the trench and advances toward the entrance, meeting the primary front in the middle. How we saw it Imaging spectroscopic […]
Unlocking Bottleneck Effects in 3D Semiconductor Structures with PillarHall Lateral High Aspect Ratio(LHAR) Test Chips
The Challenge: Conformality in Complex Geometries Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is the go-to technique for achieving ultra-thin, conformal films in the deep, narrow features found in advanced semiconductors, batteries, and capacitors. However, as device designs push into ever-more complex 3D geometries, a hidden challenge emerges: bottlenecks in High Aspect Ratio (HAR) structures can disrupt film […]
Chipmetrics Expands Product Line with Advanced ALD Test Chips and Wafer Solutions
Finnish 3D thin film semiconductor metrology specialist expands its metrology portfolio with advanced test chips and wafer solutions that accelerate prototyping and precision analysis for next-generation semiconductor processes. Joensuu, Finland – August 14th, 2025 – Chipmetrics, a leader in innovative metrology solutions for atomic layer deposition (ALD) and advanced semiconductor processes, announces the expansion of […]
Optimizing ALD in 3D Structures: How PillarHall® Chips Make It Easier
Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) has become the go-to solution for coating complex 3D structures in semiconductor manufacturing and advanced packaging. But achieving uniform, conformal coatings in high-aspect-ratio (HAR) features remains a major challenge, especially when traditional measurement tools fall short. That’s where the PillarHall chip comes in. At Chipmetrics, we’ve developed the PillarHall chip specifically […]
Spatial Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD): Unveiling New Frontiers in Material Processing with Mike van de Poll
Mike van de Poll, a researcher at Eindhoven University of Technology, has dedicated his scientific endeavors to exploring the intricacies of spatial Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD). Supervised by renowned experts in the field, Erwin Kessels and Bart Macco, Mike’s research dives deep into understanding fundamental aspects of spatial ALD, leveraging the advanced capabilities of Chipmetrics’ […]
Our Picks Ahead of ALD/ALE 2025
Anticipating Atomic Layer Innovation in South Korea As the semiconductor industry surges toward ever-more complex device architectures, ALD 2025 stands out as a premier venue for discovering the innovations that will define next-generation atomic-scale processing. From addressing high aspect ratio (HAR) challenges to developing new materials and precision etching techniques, the conference program is packed […]