Nanotechnology Now - Press Release: FEI’s New TrueCrystal Package Provides Rapid, Accurate Strain Profiling for Semiconductor Manufacturing

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Abstract:
Automated strain analysis package combines ease of use with reduced time to data

FEI’s New TrueCrystal Package Provides Rapid, Accurate Strain Profiling for Semiconductor Manufacturing

Hillsboro, OR | Posted on November 3rd, 2008

FEI Company (Nasdaq: FEIC), a leading provider of atomic-scale imaging and analysis systems, today released its new TrueCrystal Strain Analysis package that can be installed on a Titan™ or Tecnai™ scanning/transmission electron microscope (S/TEM) system. The new, automated strain analysis package allows engineers to achieve highly-accurate measurements in a fraction of the time of existing techniques.

"Silicon strain engineering is an important process innovation in advanced semiconductor manufacturing; it allows for improved device performance and efficiency at advanced technology nodes. Currently, only TEM has proven capable of measuring these induced lattice strains at the required spatial resolution," said Joseph Race, product marketing manager, Electronics Division at FEI. "TrueCrystal Strain Analysis is a complete analytical package for the determination of strain along any line in a crystalline sample, at the nanometer level."

Tony Edwards, vice president and general manager of FEI's Electronics Division, adds, "FEI's TrueCrystal Strain Analysis package is an example of our corporate commitment to providing customers with comprehensive, application-specific solutions that aim to maximize TEM productivity, reduce data acquisition times and lower overall cost of analysis."

TrueCrystal leverages a combination of nano-beam diffraction (NBD) in the TEM, and a powerful off-line data analysis package, to quickly and easily generate the high-quality data required for advanced strained silicon process development.

The NBD technique is not subject to the limitations observed in more traditional methods, such as high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) and convergent beam electron diffraction (CBED). The on-line software component works within the microscope user interface, and the straightforward line-scan workflow will be familiar to anyone who has undertaken chemical analysis on a TEM. The off-line software component allows for strain analysis of each individual diffraction peak of the acquired diffraction patterns. The resulting data is then used to automatically generate a plot of the strain profile across the acquired line scan. From experiment, through final data reduction, to presentation of results, the TrueCrystal Strain Analysis package combined with a Titan or Tecnai TEM will allow rapid, accurate strain profile determination in a broad range of samples.

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About FEI Company
FEI (Nasdaq: FEIC) is the world leader in pioneering technologies and applications that deliver imaging solutions for 3D characterization, analysis and modification/prototyping with resolutions down to the sub-Ångström level. Our customers, working in advanced research and manufacturing, are supported by field-experienced applications specialists. They have open access to FEI’s prestigious global user network so they can succeed in accelerating nanoscale discovery and contribute to better living through new product commercialization. FEI’s NanoPorts in North America, Europe and Asia provide centers of technical excellence where our world-class community of customers and specialists collaborate on the ongoing development of new ideas and innovative solutions. FEI has sales and service operations in more than 50 countries around the world.

FEI Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements about the introduction of the Xplore3D software package. Factors that could affect these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the failure of the general release to replicate beta results for the product, the failure of the product or technology to perform as expected and achieve anticipated results, and unexpected technical problems. Please also refer to the company's Form 10-K, Forms 10-Q, Forms 8-K and other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for additional information on these factors and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. FEI assumes no duty to update any forward- looking statements.

The FEI logo, Tecnai and Titan Krios are trademarks of FEI Company.

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Contacts:
FEI Company
Fletcher Chamberlin
(investors and analysts)
Investor Relations
+1 503 726 7710

Media Contact:
Sandy Fewkes, Principal
MindWrite Communications, Inc
+1 408 224 4024

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