Molecular Electronics Research Institute (MERI) develops technological processes for the production of ICs and microelectronic modules as well as advanced methods for component integration. MERI creates families of technologies with design standards of 65, 45 and 28 nm as well as clean chemical materials and specialized technological equipment.

Technologies

MERI develops technological processes, new technologies for the production of IC, microelectronic modules and advanced methods for integrating digital and microwave components.

MERI researches promising and cost-effective technologies for non-volatile memory, hybrid 3D packaging and next-generation sensors.

New microelectronic technologies

CMOS

MERI develops families of CMOS technologies that are resistant to external factors. These chips have higher speed and lower power consumption.
The Institute has developed solutions for multi-variant CMOS, bipolar, and BiCMOS technologies based on a universal route.

CMOS technologies
Non-volatile memory
New microelectronic technologies

Non-volatile memory

MERI carries out R&D projects on non-volatile memory. FeRAM memory is being developed for data storage systems and energy-efficient solutions in wireless electronics, wearable devices, smart meters, and UHF tags.

MERI conducts projects on non-volatile memory of types such as EEPROM, Flash, FeRAM, ReRAM, and SONOS.
Comprehensive researches of the most promising areas are carried out in collaboration with academic organizations and equipment manufacturers.

3D packaging technologies

3D

3D packaging technologies MERI is developing advanced technology for creating 3D packaging based on the principles of heterogeneous integration. This solution allows uniting components produced by different technological processes in a single module, as well as MEMS and piezoelectric elements. The technology is intended for creating highly integrated systems.

3D packaging technologies
Materials

Materials

MERI develops special materials for microelectronics: high-purity chemical reagents, lithographic materials, and suspensions that meet modern industry standards: photoresist, anti-reflective coating, developer, slurry, oxide etch and etc.

Technological equipment

Technological equipment

MERI develops and implements modern technological equipment for ICs production. Requirements for equipment for production on 200 mm and 300 mm wafers have been developed. MERI produced and uses plasma-chemical etching technological complex and plasma-chemical vapor deposition technological complex for 65 nm technology. A specification has been created for technological equipment for the production of crystals with 28–14 nm standards.

Technological equipment

Plasma-chemical etching technological complex consists of:

  • Robotic wafer handling system using FOUP containers
  • Metal etching module
  • ICP RIE module for anisotropic highly selective etching of silicon and polysilicon
  • Photoresist and polymer layer removal module
  • High-aspect-ratio dielectric structure etching module

Plasma-chemical vapor deposition technological complex uses the following process modules:

  • Silicon nitride PECVD deposition module
  • Silicon oxide (SiH4/N2O) PECVD deposition module
  • Silicon oxide (TEOS) PECVD deposition module
  • TEOS/O3 subatmospheric silicon oxide deposition module
  • Robotic wafer handling system using FOUP containers
Technological equipment

Laboratory

MERI created two laboratories for the quality of technological processes’ controlling: physical-chemical analytical laboratory and electro-physical analytical laboratory
Physical-chemical Analysis Laboratory
laboratory

Physical-chemical analysis laboratory

This is the only laboratory in Russia, the CIS countries and Eastern Europe for ultra-trace research and analysis of ultra-pure liquid technological environment.

The laboratory performs analyses of liquid environment and chemical reagents used for the presence of impurities in extremely low concentrations (trace and ultra-trace). Main areas of work:

  • development for analyzing and controlling technological environments methods;
  • participation in ultra-pure chemical materials and reagents development;
  • development of ultra-pure materials technical requirements and recommendations for their use research;
  • technologies development for ensuring mass production and storage of ultra-pure materials.
Electrophysical Analytical Laboratory

Electro-physical analytical laboratory

The laboratory conducts parametric measurements within test crystals on wafers, as well as tasks of technology characterization and measurements of test crystals for subsequent development of spice models.

The laboratory has equipment for probe measurements in the microwave range and measurements of low-frequency flicker noise.

The laboratory conducts research on ferroelectric FeRAM memory and memory cells based on polysilicon floating gate SONOS, as well as research on the reliability characteristics of the component base.

Electrophysical Analytical Laboratory
AI Technologies
AI Technologies

AI Technologies

MERI uses machine learning methods in areas such as the synthesis of new materials, designing elements of technological processes and the creation of digital twins technology in modeling technical processes.

A promising area is the addition of machine learning models to the digital twins of technological processes.