Natural van der Waals Canalization Lens for Non‐Destructive Nanoelectronic Circuit Imaging and Inspection

• DOI: 10.1002/adma.202504526
• Publication Date: 2025-05-07T11:07:23Z
• Authors: Qingdong Ou; Shuwen Xue; Weiliang Ma; Jiong Yang; Guangyuan Si; Lu Liu; Gang Zhong; Jingying Liu; Zongyuan Xie; Ying Xiao; Tian Sun; Ding Yuan; Kourosh Kalantar‐...; Peining Li; Zhigao Dai; Huanyang Chen; Qiaoliang Bao

Abstract Optical inspection has long served as a cornerstone non‐destructive method in semiconductor wafer manufacturing, particularly for surface and defect analysis. However, conventional techniques such dark‐field scattering optics or atomic force microscopy (AFM) face significant limitations, including insufficient resolution the inability to resolve subsurface features. Here, an approach is proposed that integrates strengths of AFM by leveraging van der Waals (vdW) canalization lens based on natural biaxial α‐MoO 3 crystals. This enables ultrahigh‐resolution subwavelength imaging with ability visualize both buried structures, achieving spatial 15 nm grating pitch detection down 100 nm. The underlying mechanism relies unique anisotropic properties , where its atomic‐scale unit cells symmetry facilitate diffraction‐free propagation evanescent propagating waves via flat‐band regime. Unlike metamaterial‐based superlenses hyperlenses, which suffer from high plasmonic losses, fabrication imperfections, uniaxial constraints, provides robust super‐resolution multiple directions. successfully applied achieve high‐resolution nanoscale electronic circuits, offering unprecedented capabilities essential next‐generation manufacturing.