Carl Zeiss SMT Sets New Record Milestone in Sub-Angstrom E-beam Imaging
Carl Zeiss SMT announces a major break-through by achieving a record image resolution of 0.8 Angstrom (0.08 nanometer) during qualification of its latest generation ultra-high-resolution transmission electron microscope (UHRTEM).
The milestone was achieved using a newly developed 200kV field-emission UHRTEM equipped with electron optical components for aberration correction, electron beam monochromatization and energy filtered imaging, partly co-developed with CEOS GmbH, Heidelberg. By unique and proprietary integration of these advanced components into a revolutionary new UHRTEM platform, image resolution of even down to 0.7 Angstrom was demonstrated for certain image directions which nearly equals the theoretically achievable resolution limit (one Angstrom is a tenth of a nanometer, while a nanometer is one billionth of a meter). The TEM instrument is specifically designed for sub-Angstrom characterization of advanced materials and device structures, e.g. for atomic scale analysis of transistor gate areas, and will be made available to demanding customers in cutting-edge nanotechnology research and development.
“We are highly impressed by the latest results in high-resolution TEM development achieved by Carl Zeiss SMT. Especially combined with its proprietary energy filter technology, this tool combines resolution and analytical capabilities required for successful process development and control of leading edge IC devices for current and future technology generations,” stated Dr. Udo Nothelfer, Vice President AMD Fab30 Dresden.
“In addition to semiconductor industry requirements, artifact-free imaging at utmost resolution will also serve the world's growing nanotechnology community to characterize new devices and materials down to the atomic scale and even below, especially where non-periodic structures like crystal defects and interfaces become of increasing significance. By development of our sub-Angstrom resolution TEM, we enable our most demanding customers to enter the “magic” sub-Angstrom regime defining the key properties of materials," stated Jan Vermeulen, Marketing Director of Carl Zeiss SMT.
For demonstration of the achieved image resolution, Young's fringes patterns have been generated from micrographs recorded at 800,000 times image magnification and image acquisition times of 1s. The energy spread of the field emission source was reduced by the monochromator to 0.2eV and a residual spherical aberration of the objective lens (Cs value) was obtained using the integrated aberration corrector from CEOS GmbH. An amorphous Tantalum thin film was used as specimen. Four ring insets, calibrated by gold lattice reflections, indicate the 1.0, 0.9, 0.8 and 0.7 Angstrom resolution limits (from inside to outside). For all image directions, the fringe contrast clearly extends to the 0.8 Angstrom ring and even extends to the 0.7 Angstrom ring for certain image directions.
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Content Writing and Copy Writing |
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Content Writing India provides content writing, copywriting, SEO copywriting and business collateral writing services to its clients in India and overseas. Operating from New Delhi, India, under the aegis of italics, the content writing company has a team of content writers, copywriters, copyeditors and expert proofreaders. |
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[Clinical and Epidemiologic Research] Assessment of the Effect of Visual Impairment on Mortality through Multiple Health Pathways: Structural Equation Modeling |
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purpose. To estimate the direct effects of self-reported visual impairment (VI) on health, disability, and mortality and to estimate the indirect effects of VI on mortality through health and disability mediators.
methods. The National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) is a population-based annual survey designed to be representative of the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population. The National Death Index of 135,581 NHIS adult participants, 18 years of age and older, from 1986 to 1996 provided the mortality linkage through 2002. A generalized linear structural equation model (GSEM) with latent variable was used to estimate the results of a system of equations with various outcomes. Standard errors and test statistics were corrected for weighting, clustering, and stratification.
results. VI affects mortality, when direct adjustment was made for the covariates. Severe VI increases the hazard rate by a factor of 1.28 (95% CI: 1.07–1.53) compared with no VI, and some VI increases the hazard by a factor of 1.13 (95% CI: 1.07–1.20). VI also affects mortality indirectly through self-rated health and disability. The total effects (direct effects plus mediated effects) on the hazard of mortality of severe VI and some VI relative to no VI are hazard ratio (HR) 1.54 (95% CI: 1.28–1.86) and HR 1.23 (95% CI: 1.16–1.31), respectively.
conclusions. In addition to the direct link between VI and mortality, the effects of VI on general health and disability contribute to an increased risk of death. Ignoring the latter may lead to an underestimation of the substantive impact of VI on mortality.
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UCLA Summer Program Strengthens Writing Skills for Korean Students |
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A group of 86 Korean students are enhancing their English reading and writing skills for four weeks through the UCLA Writing Project, housed at the university's Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. |
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Effect of Different Bone Substitutes on the Concentration of Growth Factors in Platelet-rich Plasma |
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This study is conducted to determine the effect of different kinds of bone substitutes and collagen on the concentration of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and transforming growth factor β-1 (TGF β-1) in platelet-rich plasma (PRP). PRP is treated with thrombin, hydroxyapatite (HA), and thrombin, HA alone, collagen-grafted HA, calcium metaphosphate (CMP), and collagen-grafted CMP. The concentrations of PDGF-AB and TGF β-1 are measured. After PRP treated with HA and CMP, the concentrations of PDGF and TGF β-1 are not significantly different from the concentration of them in PRP alone. The concentrations of PDGF in PRP with collagen-grafted HA and collagen-grafted CMP are significantly higher than that of PRP with HA and CMP. The concentrations of PDGF and TGF β-1 in PRP with collagen-grafted CMP are higher than with collagen-grafted HA. The results of multiple regression analysis show that PDGF increased with the use of collagen and thrombin, and is higher in native whole blood with higher platelet counts. However, PDGF decreased with the use of HA. In conclusion, HA and CMP do not seem to be able to activate platelets by themselves. However, if they had collagen grafted onto them, they could activate platelets and release growth factors. |
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New metamaterials that bend light backwards bring invisibility cloaks 1 step closer |
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Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have for the first time engineered 3-D materials that can reverse the natural direction of visible and near-infrared light, a development that could help form the basis for higher resolution optical imaging, nanocircuits for high-powered computers, and, to the delight of science-fiction and fantasy buffs, cloaking devices that could render objects invisible to the human eye. (2008-08-11) |
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