nanoGUNE Colloquium: Hitting Atomic Limits: Pushing the Frontiers in Semiconductor Nanofabrication

The semiconductor industry is continuously evolving, driven by the relentless pursuit of miniaturization and performance enhancement. As device dimensions approach atomic scales, conventional fabrication techniques are reaching their physical and technological limits. This “hitting of atomic limits” necessitates the adoption of new advanced materials as well as atomic-scale processing methods to achieve precise control over material deposition, etching, and nanopatterning. In this context, this presentation will highlight some emerging trends in which advanced materials (amorphous oxides, ferroelectrics, 2D materials, etc.) are processed by methods such as atomic layer deposition (ALD), atomic layer etching (ALE), and area-selective deposition (ASD) – all crucial for next-generation semiconductor manufacturing. Additionally, connections to future chip technologies, including photonics and quantum technology, will be discussed.