Kioxia Iwate Corp., a unit of Japanese memory chipmaker Kioxia Holdings, will begin evaluating next-generation inspection and metrology technology jointly developed by Nagoya University startup Photo electron Soul Inc. and the university’s Amano-Honda Laboratory later this month.
The field test, set for late September, will assess whether the gallium nitride (GaN)-based electron-beam system can enhance defect detection and yield improvement in the production of 3D flash memory, according to a statement Tuesday.
Photo electron Soul, led by Chief Executive Officer Takayuki Suzuki, co-developed the GaN photocathode technology to enable non-contact electrical inspection, defect detection, and profile measurement of deep high-aspect-ratio structures—areas where conventional tools face limitations. The technology incorporates proprietary methods, Digital Selective e-Beaming (DSeB) and Yield Controlled e-Beaming (YCeB), which allow selective e-beam radiation and real-time control of beam intensity to avoid misalignment during inspections.
Kioxia, the world’s second-largest producer of NAND flash memory after South Korea’s Samsung Electronics Co., has been investing in advanced inspection systems to address challenges created by stacking more layers in 3D flash devices. Improved inspection and metrology tools are seen as critical for sustaining production efficiency and yield as integration density rises.
“This evaluation provides a great opportunity for us to prove that our inspection and metrology technology is unmatched,” Suzuki said in the statement. “No other inspection tool supplier has yet commercialized it, and it is ready for production in a semiconductor manufacturing environment.”
If successful, adoption of the GaN-based e-beam system could strengthen Kioxia’s competitive positioning against rivals in Korea and the U.S., where memory makers are also racing to secure advanced manufacturing capabilities for next-generation storage devices.
