Detecting defects in tomorrow's technology: Study enhances understanding of likely candidate for next-generation chips

Silicon computer chips have served us well for more than half a century. The tiniest features on chips currently sold are approximately 3 nanometers—a startlingly small size given that a human hair is roughly 80,000 nanometers wide. Reducing the size of features on chips will help us meet our endless need for more memory and processing power in the palm of our hand. But the limit of what can be achieved with standard materials and processes is near.