CEA-Leti and Menapic, a French startup that enables physical characterization of thin films, today announced a joint-development program (JDP) to apply colored picosecond acoustics to materials analysis.
Menapic’s coloured picosecond acoustics (APiC) technology is an innovative tool to characterize the mechanical properties of thin films. It reproduces the principle of sonar in nano-scaled structures: a spectroscopic pulsed-laser source is used to generate acoustic waves in thin-film stacks. By analysing the propagation of the acoustic pulse in the stack, APiC enables the characterization of each layer. The JDP with Leti is designed to extend the use of this technology in the microelectronics industry and thin-materials analysis.
“Colored picosecond acoustics fits the mechanical characterization requirements that have accompanied the trends in scaling and increasing complexity of integrated electronics,” said Patrick Emery, Menapic’s president. “With Leti’s high level of expertise in materials analysis and nanocharacterization, this program will position Menapic’s APiC technology for on-site utilization.”
Adding colored picosecond acoustics to Leti’s advanced characterization techniques aligns with its technology roadmaps.
“This new equipment will complete the unique offer in terms of materials analysis available in the world-class nanocharacterization platform (PFNC) at MINATEC campus,” said Narciso Gambacorti, Leti’s nanocharacterization program manager. “Menapic’s experience in materials analysis and colored picosecond acoustics technology, in particular, will accelerate the introduction of this technique at Leti.”
About CEA-Leti
Leti is an institute of CEA, a French research-and-technology organization with activities in energy, IT, healthcare, defence and security. Leti is focused on creating value and innovation through technology transfer to its industrial partners.
It specializes in nanotechnologies and their applications, from wireless devices and systems, to biology, healthcare and photonics. NEMS and MEMS are at the core of its activities. An anchor of the MINATEC campus, CEA-Leti operates 8,000-m² of state-of-the-art clean room space on 200mm and 300mm wafer platforms. It employs 1,700 scientists and engineers including 240 Ph.D. students and 200 assignees from partner companies. CEA-Leti owns more than 1,880 patent families. For more information, visit www.leti.fr.
About Menapic
Menapic, a French startup based in Lille, France, enables physical characterization of thin films with its patented APiC (colored picosecond acoustics) technology and pre-industrialization characterization equipment. Primarily focused on mechanical-properties characterization at the sub-micron scale, the company serves the semiconductor, glass and microtechnics markets. Applications range from micro- and nanotechnologies to surface functionalization. Menapic is actively involved in R&D partnerships, including a joint-development program with CEA-Leti to extend the use of its APiC technology in microelectronics and thin-materials analysis.Visit www.menapic.com/.