Through his research, Oscar Versolato contributes to important technological innovations in the field of microchips. Curiosity, fundamental physics and practical applications drive his scientific work. He will soon deliver his inaugural lecture as Professor of EUV Plasma Processes. “It is science with a clear mission.”
“My research actually begins with one simple droplet of tin. When this droplet, smaller than a human hair, is hit by powerful lasers, it eventually produces EUV light. This light is essential for creating the tiniest patterns on microchips. Doesn’t that make tin magical?” says Versolato, sharing his fascination with his research. Together with colleagues, he studies how microscopically small, molten tin particles can be converted into extreme ultraviolet light, or EUV. The ultimate aim is to understand the physical processes behind this and to use that knowledge for the advanced machines used to manufacture chips.
‘The world runs on chips’
This EUV light is essential for the chip industry. It makes it possible to produce chips that are ever smaller, faster and more energy-efficient. These chips are not only found in phones and laptops, but also in cars, medical devices, data centres, solar panels, wind turbines and AI systems. A microchip can best be described as a complete city in itself, with billions of extremely small structures. “The importance of chips can hardly be overstated: the world runs on this technology. Whoever has knowledge of these chips and the latest applications holds economic and geopolitical power,” says Versolato.
Physics with an application
He began his academic career as a fundamental physicist, focusing on the basic rules of physics. In 2014, he joined the Advanced Research Center for Nanolithography, ARCNL. This institute conducts fundamental research into nanolithography: the technology used to make ever smaller and more powerful computer chips. Universities, government and industry, with ASML as a key partner, work closely together there. As a result, fundamental knowledge of physics gains a direct practical application.
Curiosity has been a recurring theme throughout his career. “It took us years to understand where the light from that one droplet of tin came from. This may sound boring to many people, but the research has so much depth, and there is still so much to discover.” In the coming years, the professor hopes to gain an even better understanding of how laser light, tin and plasma interact: how the droplet deforms, which particles emit the desired EUV light, and how this process can be made more efficient for the chip technology of the future.
Faculty of Science
Versolato describes his work as “science with a mission”. He hopes to contribute to more efficient and cleaner chip production. “What we do also fits very well with VU Amsterdam and our faculty, where we aim to excel in technical research with practical applications that have societal value,” Versolato concludes. “With great optimism, I hope to continue contributing to this as a professor. And to think that it all begins with one tiny droplet of tin. Fascinating, isn’t it?”
On Thursday 7 May, Oscar Versolato will deliver his inaugural lecture: Turning metal into light: the story of EUV plasma. More information is available here.