Deuterium Use in Semiconductor Manufacturing
Semiconductors manufactured with deuterium have a longer lifespan
Deuterium Use in Semiconductor Manufacturing
The use of deuterium in semiconductor manufacturing extends the lifespan of semiconductor chips and microchips.
This is made possible when deuterium (D) is used in place of protium (H), the most common hydrogen isotope, during the fabrication process. The physical and chemical properties of the resulting silicon-deuterium (Si-D) bond improve chip reliability and longevity compared with the Si-H bond.
Compounds produced with the Si-D bond have more favourable vibrational kinetics than compounds produced with the Si-H bond, enabling them to approach a vibrational equilibrium point more rapidly. This attribute leads to a dramatically longer lifespan of D-doped semiconductors compared with H-doped semiconductors.
Moreover, deuterium and silicon bond together relatively quickly and strongly as a result of the synchronicity between the two elements.
Deuterium has been found to reduce the severity of “hot carrier effects” that diminish semiconductor reliability, while reducing stress-induced leakage currents. These issues strongly impact the lifespan of a semiconductor and are typically the leading causes of chip malfunction.
