Deep learning-guided surface characterization for autonomous fabrication

The semiconductor industry as we know it is facing a critical roadblock that will lead to the end of Moore's law. As transistors continue to shrink, quantum effects have a significant negative consequence on their operation. As such, the development of "beyond CMOS devices" has begun. The push for devices that are cheaper, smaller, and faster has led to the use of scanning probe fabrication. One of the first examples of such a technique was IBM's video "A boy and his atom", where CO molecules were moved along a Cu surface using a sharp metallic tip.