Imagine trying to carve a tiny, complex sculpture into a block the size of your fingernail again and again, billions of times, with nearly no room for error.
That’s what chipmakers do when they etch complex patterns on silicon to make the semiconductors that power most of the gadgets and technology around us. As we demand more power and speed from smaller devices, the need to carve these patterns with extreme precision becomes more urgent and more challenging.
In a bid to cater to the growing standard for accuracy in semiconductor production, a team of researchers recently unveiled a breakthrough technology called DirectDrive—which brings an unprecedented level of precision to the plasma etching process used in building computer chips. This innovation could could support the development of next-generation electronics, especially those used in AI systems that demand highly compact and ultra-fast circuits.
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