AMD Teams with Albany NanoTech for Strained Silicon

Online staff -- Electronic News, 11/11/2004

AMD and Albany Nanotech have announced a strained silicon R&D joint effort.

The chipmaker will team with the nanotechnology R&D complex to develop a new nanometrology capability for measuring the stress state in strained silicon with the project focused on near-field nano-optical techniques, exploiting the enhancement of the optical field at a nanoprobe tip, the duo announced this week.
 
The first developmental implementation for nano-optical measurements will be assembled at Albany Nanotech, which houses the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) at the University at Albany – SUNY. Robert Geer, CNSE associate professor of Nanoscience, will supervise the project.
 
AMD personnel from AMD-Saxony’s Materials Analysis Laboratory in Dresden, Germany, will participate directly in the research at Albany Nanotech.  Findings will be relayed directly to the Dresden laboratory to characterize the performance of transistors for future technology nodes, which are expected to be manufactured in AMD’s upcoming 300mm fab there.
 
“This type of research hinges on having the right talent at the right facility, and Albany NanoTech has that critical combination of infrastructure and expertise,” said David Kyser, an AMD director of external research, in a statement.  “By joining with Albany NanoTech, we’ve found a cost-effective way to stay on the cutting edge in this area of nanoscale research.”