Atomic-scale manufacturing is an advanced technology that uses energy to manipulate atoms or atomic-scale units, thereby creating novel materials, devices, and systems. It represents a milestone in humanity's understanding and creation of new substances. Atomic-scale manufacturing is not only the core technology for future information devices, integrated circuits, and other fields, but also the key to breaking through the technological blockades imposed by Western countries and safeguarding the security of China's industrial chains. Currently, the manufacturing of semiconductor information devices and integrated circuit devices/chips has become the greatest challenge for China in international competition. Integrated circuit devices and others are progressively entering the era of atomic-scale manufacturing.
The Atomic Fabrication Facility for Information Devices (A-FIND) aims to establish new mechanisms for atomic-scale manipulation of information materials and devices, overcoming the fundamental and systemic barriers in atomic-scale precision manufacturing; it enables the on-demand design and creation of new substances, pioneering a revolutionary route for atomic-scale processing and manufacturing of information materials and devices; this facilitates research on automation, autonomy, and intelligence from atomic layers to functional thin films and information devices, moving towards a new era of intelligent and automated atomic manufacturing. The establishment of the A-FIND will play a pivotal role in forming a forward-looking strategic layout and enhancing capabilities of achieving systematic breakthroughs in critical frontiers of atomic-scale manufacturing.
Although China's research on atomic-scale manufacturing is keeping pace with the world, it is still confined to small teams in colleges, universities or research institutions, making it difficult to fully leverage the core advantages of atomic-scale manufacturing. This forum will focus on discussing the following two critical issues in the current field of atomic-scale manufacturing research:
1.Precision processing of atomic-scale devices: New processes are needed to break through atomic precision limits and address performance changes caused by atomic structure deviations.
2.High-resolution dynamic characterization of atomic-scale devices: New cross-scale characterization methods are required to analyze the manufacturing process from atomic units to functional materials and devices.
Addressing these scientific challenges necessitates an ultra-high vacuum (UHV) environment (10⁻⁸ Pa) as a prerequisite. Under UHV conditions, the mean free path of atoms/molecules is a billion times longer than that at standard atmospheric pressure, and the time required for a surface to be covered by a monolayer of atoms extends from 10⁻⁹ seconds to 10 hours. This ensures the intrinsic physical and chemical properties of materials can be maintained, making vacuum interconnect technology indispensable for atomic-scale manufacturing.
