Accelerated discovery of materials for a sustainable future of computing

Abstract

Advances in memory technologies, novel compute architectures, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, robotic automation, and cloud technologies are poised to further accelerate discovery, drive profound transformation, and help enable a sustainable future. However, can these same technologies allow the semiconductor industry to address its own key sustainability challenges to ensure a sustainable future for computing? How close is the semiconductor industry to enabling a new virtuous cycle of accelerated discovery and sustainable computing? To discuss the needs, opportunities, and progress, this talk will review some of our recent efforts to tackle a sustainability challenge facing a very important class of chemicals used in the production of computing devices, photoacid generators (PAGs). PAGs are a critical component of the chemically amplified photoresist materials used in modern semiconductor lithography. Improvements in photoresist materials (and PAGs) helped drive the last 30 years of semiconductor device scaling. Unfortunately, this legacy is at risk as onium-based photoacid generators are one of several classes of chemicals that have recently come under additional scrutiny from global environmental regulators for their potential environmental risks. Can emerging compute technologies accelerate the discovery of new photoacid generators with improved sustainability attributes?