Semiconductor development has long depended on high-end focused ion beam (FIB) tools to cut cross-sections that reveal details views of advanced processes down to the nanoscale. However, these tools could take up to 12 hours to dissect the micron- and millimeter-scale features of MEMS chips and of 3-D stack chips, such as through-silicon vias (TSVs). Now, tool vendor FEI Co. claims to have reinvented the focused ion beam for 3-D ICs and MEMS.
Further Reading
