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Material Measurement Laboratory / Materials Measurement Science Division

Nanomechanical Properties Group

Projects/Programs

Displaying 1 - 13 of 13
Picture of PBD set up for wavelength measurement

Diffraction Metrology and Standards

Ongoing
Diffraction techniques can provide data on a number of sample characteristics. Therefore, the method of certification and the artifact itself are chosen to address a specific measurement issue pertinent to a diffraction experiment. NIST diffraction SRMs may be divided into five groups: Line Position
A line drawing of a woman's head styled like a classical carved bust

METIS

Ongoing
A Metrology Exchange to Innovate in Semiconductors
Nanocalorimeter Measurements Project

Nanocalorimetry Measurements

Ongoing
Accurate thermodynamic measurements are essential to understand fundamental properties of materials, providing direct and quantifiable insight into the thermodynamics of thin film reactions and phase transitions. Going forward, new classes of materials may only be synthesized as thin films, a scale
Nanocalorimetry for Semiconductors and Semiconductor Process Metrology

Nanocalorimetry for Semiconductors and Semiconductor Process Metrology

Ongoing
In September 2022, NIST published a report titled Strategic Opportunities for U.S. Semiconductor Manufacturing , which cited, among other challenges, the need to understand and improve heat dissipation and performance in advanced microelectronics. Specifically, there needs to be better measurements
CRAFM_on_Au_cube

Nanoscale Property Measurements by Atomic Force Microscopy

Ongoing
Over the past several decades, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) has advanced from a technique used primarily for surface topography imaging to one capable of characterizing a range of chemical, mechanical, electrical, and magnetic material properties with nanometer resolution. Such characterizations
Picture of PBD set up for wavelength measurement

Powder Diffraction SRMs

Ongoing
This program strives to produce the highest-quality, traceable powders and other artifacts for x-ray diffraction calibration. (to be completed)
Image of PBD 3-bounce crystals

Precision X-ray Emission Line Measurements

Ongoing
Precise knowledge of the shape and position of x-ray emission lines is the basis of connecting x-ray diffraction measurements to the Système Internationale d'Unités (SI), the official worldwide standard for making any measurement. Measurements of position of x-ray emission lines have been made been
Images of SRM 3461 device and enlarged view of the cantilever arrays at one end

Scanning Probe Microscopy Calibrations and Standards

Ongoing
The Nanomechanical Properties Group has expertise in a wide variety of SPM techniques, especially atomic force microscopy (AFM); however, the main research thrust for the Group’s standards project area deals with accurate cantilever stiffness calibration and the use and development of AFM methods
EBSD measurement on 63nm SiGe line

Strain Measurement for Semiconductor Devices

Ongoing
Mechanical strain is hugely important to semiconductor devices and packages while also being difficult to measure accurately. Strain is engineered into CMOS channels to improve carrier mobility for higher performance at lower power but is also intrinsically present from manufacturing processes where
Images depicting an advanced analysis of HR-EBSD data

Strain Measurement for Semiconductor Devices and Packages

Ongoing
Strain is a critical parameter that influences both electrical and mechanical failures of devices, however, measuring strain in complex 3D geometries and vanishingly small feature sizes remains a challenge for manufacturers. Data provided by strain measurements can be used to validate computational
SRM 3452 certified Seebeck coefficient data

Transport Property Measurements for Semiconductors and Energy Materials

Ongoing
The properties of materials and interfaces that govern reliability, performance, and thermal transport in advanced microelectronic packages are not fully characterized or understood, especially at device length scales wherein properties may differ significantly from bulk or literature values