Bruker Invests in Photothermal AFM-IR to Advance Semiconductor Research

Key Terms

photothermal afm-ir technical

Photothermal AFM-IR is a laboratory technique that uses a tiny vibrating probe and short pulses of infrared light to map the chemical makeup and structure of materials at the scale of billionths of a meter. Think of it as a high-resolution fingerprint scanner for molecules that shows where different substances sit inside a material. For investors, it matters because this level of detail can reveal product quality, manufacturing problems, or unique technical advantages that affect a company’s competitiveness and commercialization risk.

euv photoresist technical

A euv photoresist is a light‑sensitive chemical coating used in semiconductor manufacturing that changes when exposed to extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light so microscopic circuit patterns can be etched onto silicon. Think of it like ultra-fine photographic film that defines where material is kept or removed on a chip. It matters to investors because advances or shortages affect a chip maker’s ability to produce smaller, faster, and cheaper chips, influencing costs, yields and competitive advantage.

metrology technical

Metrology is the science and practice of making measurements accurate, consistent and traceable so numbers about size, weight, temperature or other properties mean the same thing everywhere. For investors it matters because reliable measurement underpins product quality, regulatory compliance and manufacturing efficiency—like using a well-calibrated ruler so every part fits—reducing recalls, legal risk and wasted costs that can affect a company’s earnings and reputation.

nanoscale infrared spectroscopy technical

Nanoscale infrared spectroscopy is a laboratory technique that maps the chemical composition of materials at incredibly small scales—about a few billionths of a meter—by measuring how tiny regions absorb infrared light. For investors, it matters because this level of detail can confirm whether a company’s materials, drugs or components actually have the claimed structure or purity, affecting product performance, manufacturing quality and the strength of intellectual property or regulatory claims.

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Dimension IconIR to Support Critical Materials Characterization for Next-Generation Semiconductor Devices

BILLERICA, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Bruker Corporation (Nasdaq: BRKR) today announced accelerated development of its photothermal AFM-IR spectroscopy capabilities to address research challenges facing the semiconductor industry as device architectures continue to shrink and systems become increasingly more complex. As the largest supplier of nanoscale infrared (nanoIR) spectroscopy technology to the semiconductor industry, Bruker is expanding the use of AFM-IR beyond its established role in nanoscale contamination analysis into research areas that underpin next-generation semiconductor technologies. These include EUV photoresist patterning and development, advanced materials for transistor scaling, and site-selective surface functionalization at the nanoscale for emerging sensing and functional device applications.

Bruker’s Dimension IconIR system at imec with (left to right) Hartmut Stadler (Bruker), Dowon Kim (imec) and Marcel Laarhoven (Bruker)

In a Joint Development Project (JDP) with imec, a world-leading research and innovation hub in advanced semiconductor technologies, Bruker has installed its Dimension IconIR system to help assess the utility of photothermal AFM-IR for addressing these critical step-function research questions. The collaboration is focused on evaluating how nanoscale chemical characterization can shed light on material behavior and interfaces that influence semiconductor process development and device performance.

“Metrology requirements for advanced semiconductor research are evolving rapidly, and together with Bruker we will assess how nanoIR technology can help address emerging requirements in nanoscale materials characterization,” said Albert Minj, senior researcher at imec and project lead of the JDP. “The IconIR system enables label-free chemical analysis with sub-5-nanometer resolution, which supports deeper understanding of EUV resist chemistry and material interactions relevant to next-generation device concepts.”

“Our collaboration with imec allows us to greatly expand the capabilities of photothermal AFM-IR in semiconductor research environments,” added David V. Rossi, President of Bruker’s Nano Surfaces and Metrology Division. “By investigating complex material systems and interfaces, nanoscale infrared spectroscopy can provide chemical insights that are impossible to access with conventional techniques.”

About Dimension IconIR
Dimension IconIR combines nanoscale infrared spectroscopy with scanning probe microscopy (SPM), delivering monolayer sensitivity, high-resolution chemical imaging, and unmatched nanoscale property mapping. Built on the widely adopted Dimension Icon AFM platform, IconIR supports samples up to 150 mm and integrates Bruker’s patented suite of photothermal AFM-IR modes. These capabilities enable precise characterization of complex semiconductor materials and structures, with hundreds of peer-reviewed publications validating its performance and correlation to FTIR techniques.

About Bruker Corporation – Leader of the Post-Genomic Era
Bruker is enabling scientists and engineers to make breakthrough post-genomic discoveries and develop new applications that improve the quality of human life. Bruker’s high-performance scientific instruments and high value analytical and diagnostic solutions enable scientists to explore life and materials at molecular, cellular, and microscopic levels. In close cooperation with our customers, Bruker is enabling innovation, improved productivity, and customer success in post-genomic life science molecular and cell biology research, in applied and biopharma applications, in microscopy and nano-analysis, as well as in industrial and cleantech research, and next-gen semiconductor metrology in support of AI. Bruker offers differentiated, high-value life science and diagnostics systems and solutions in preclinical imaging, clinical phenomics research, proteomics and multi-omics, spatial and single-cell biology, functional structural and condensate biology, as well as in clinical microbiology and molecular diagnostics. For more information, please visit www.bruker.com.

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Investor Contact:
Joe Kostka
Director, Investor Relations
Bruker Corporation
T: +1 (978) 313-5800
E: Investor.Relations@bruker.com

Media Contact:
Stephen Hopkins
Content Marketing Manager
Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology
T: +1 (520) 741-1044 x1022
E: steve.hopkins@bruker.com

Source: Bruker Corporation