2026 Undergraduate Research Showcase

The Hidden World of Microelectronics: An Atomic Force Microscopy Study

Document Type

Student Presentation

Presentation Date

4-24-2026

Faculty Sponsor

Dr. Corey Efaw, Dr. Takafumi Fukushima, Allyssa Bateman, Dr. Amy Moll, and Dr. Paul Davis

Abstract

In the Surface Science Laboratory at Boise State, we utilize various modalities of atomic force microscopy (AFM) to study topography and other material properties. Through very complex and precise mechanical devices we can see, or rather feel, an entirely different part of the world: the atomic scale. It’s significant to visualize and understand things at this scale, one because things have existed on the atomic scale for thousands of years (e.g., DNA), while human-designed devices have continued to shrink further into the nanoscale.

Specifically, three-dimensional integrated circuits (3D ICs) began to exist in the 1980’s and progressively hold more information per device while also steadily shrinking in size. In terms of applications, at the SSL, we utilized AFM to visualize a semiconductor wafer to get a better understanding of a variety of properties of 3D ICs. Additionally, the SSL assisted researchers from Japan’s Tohoku University by quantifying atomic residue left on a silica substrate between contact pads after various treatment processes normally used in semiconductor manufacturing.

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