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Enhance semiconductor manufacturing with photonic crystal technology
Articles- Nov 30,24
Photonic crystal lasers, which are widely used in microfabrication and nanofabrication nowadays, are ideal for modern production applications because of their powerful, precise beams, says Emily Newton.
Photonic crystal lasers have the potential to increase output and reduce material waste, which could shorten cycle times and lower expenses. Since they have existed for some time, it has undergone significant changes. Late adopters benefit from a technology that is more compatible and cost-effective than ever before. What else do they stand to gain?
Photonic crystals in semiconductor manufacturing
A photonic crystal is an artificial optical nanostructure. Its lattice is sculpted out of structures like columns, holes and cubes arranged to generate periodic variations in the refractive index. In other words, at specific wavelengths, light refracts and partially reflects. The overlap creates a standing wave that does not travel through the crystal.
Ordinarily, materials either conduct or absorb light. However, by creating a small object only suitable for the wavelength of light, unique optical properties are achievable — the artificial structure becomes an insulator that does not allow light to pass through. This enables control of the propagation and behavior of photons, making it possible to confine light to a narrow area.
Photonic crystal lasers have been extensively refined over the years. Initially, producing and utilising them in manufacturing was far too expensive. Today, they are widely used in microfabrication and nanofabrication — their powerful, precise beams make them ideal for modern production applications.
How photonic crystal lasers enhance manufacturing
With conventional lasers, expanding the emission area’s size makes oscillating lights imprecise. A divergent or patchy beam becomes less likely, dimming the laser. One research team’s solution was to create a double lattice. Their invention — the photonic-crystal surface-emitting laser (PCSEL) — consists of an active layer and semiconductor sheet sandwiched between cladding layers.
They stamped the PCSEL’s semiconductor sheet with a two-dimensional array of nanoscale holes, enabling them to carefully control light propagation. The result is a more powerful beam. Conventional semiconductor lasers get no brighter than 100 megawatts per square centimeter per steradian. Comparatively, their creation was 100 times brighter because it had a round emission area of one millimeter in diameter and diverged just one-tenth of a degree.
With greater precision comes fewer defects. A higher yield is ideal since relatively recent supply chain disruptions have caused acute semiconductor shortages worldwide. This scarcity cost the US approximately $240 billion in 2021 alone after creating downstream delays in multiple industries.
Even though supply chains have largely recovered from the initial shortage, heightened demand for semiconductor devices quickly outpaces the existing supply network’s capabilities. Since the US possesses just 12% of global manufacturing capacity for semiconductors, domestic manufacturers need a solution like photonic crystal lasers to safeguard against scarcity.
Ways modern manufacturers use photonic crystals
Crystal laser cutting technology is versatile. It has several applications in manufacturing and fabrication, enabling efficiency gains for various segments of the production line. This way, business leaders can strategically invest to address pain points.
- Welding: Photonic crystal lasers can melt the surface of adjoining semiconductor components like wafers and plates to join them. The beam is narrow, enabling highly precise welding. Also, its intensity makes it a useful deburring tool.
- Production: Intriguingly, technological progression in semiconductor devices has driven advancements in photonic crystal technology. Industry professionals who pay attention to these developments may uncover applications for emerging semiconductor manufacturing applications where controlling light at a small scale is crucial. One such application is producing semiconductor photonic integrated circuits — where multiple photonic functions are incorporated into a single chip. Emerging technologies like quantum computing and remote sensing devices will rely on it. Since production is compatible with existing semiconductor manufacturing processes, cost-effective scaling is possible.
- Cutting: Semiconductor manufacturers choose photonic crystals over optical fiber or gas cutting heads when they need to cut hard reflective metals. Nd:YAG lasers are great for fine details or engraving, while Nd:YVO provide more accurate and efficient cutting. The thin, powerful beam also reduces material loss and tool wear, increasing the statistical yield limit. With this technology, facilities can realize unprecedented precision.
- Marking: With photonic crystal lasers, engraving microcomponents is simple. The laser can create permanent, identifiable markings that are shallow enough to avoid damaging the nanostructured components. Since the beam is so narrow, it can easily produce incredibly fine print.
Emerging advancements in photonic crystal lasers
Following Moore’s Law, the transistor count will double every two years. Due to the necessity of miniaturization, transistor size is exponentially decreasing. It went from 12,000 nanometers wide to two nanometers wide — thinner than the width of a single strand of human DNA — in a matter of decades. Such complexity requires an equally sophisticated manufacturing process.
One such process is lattice manipulation. Researchers recently uncovered how the light within photonic crystals behaves when under the influence of pseudo-gravity. To begin, they designed a silicon crystal with a distorted lattice. They hit it with terahertz waves, which can be deflected by gravitational fields. It deflected the waves, revealing that pseudo-gravity brought on by lattice distortion follows the rules of general relativity.
By gradually distorting the crystal's evenly-spaced, grid-like lattice structure, the researchers could strategically bend light. This research opens up new possibilities for physics, which has wide-ranging implications for micrometer-scale fabrication. It could help propel miniaturization-driven semiconductor manufacturing.
Looking to the future of photonic crystal technology
For photonic crystal lasers to continue advancing, industry leaders must address fabrication bottlenecks like low throughput and expensive production. Making this technology more accessible and affordable is vital to increasing its adoption rate, further driving research and development.
About the author:
Emily Newton is a tech and industrial journalist and the Editor-in-Chief of Revolutionized magazine. Subscribe to the Revolutionized newsletter for more content from Emily.
Photonic crystal lasers
fabrication
Emily Newton
Semiconductor Manufacturing
Photonic Crystal Technology
Welding
quantum computing
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