Semiconductor Integrated Circuit Technology

Catalog description

An overview of fundamentals of processes involved in silicon integrated circuit fabrication through class lectures and hands-on laboratory. E E 441 Semiconductor Integrated Circuit Technology (3) E E 441 is an elective electrical engineering course typically taken by seniors and graduate students from various majors including electrical engineering, materials engineering, engineering science, physics, and chemistry. Its objective is to introduce students to the processes and procedures involved in the manufacture of advanced silicon integrated circuits (IC) using tools and methods of semiconductor nanotechnology. In the sequence corresponding to the order of IC fabrication steps, the lecture portion of the course covers fundamentals of the formation of single-crystal silicon wafers, epitaxial deposition of thin silicon layers, fundamentals of thin film semiconductors, dielectric and metal deposition techniques, patter definition by photolithography and etching, dopant introduction, and finally, contact and interconnect metallization. In selected cases theoretical considerations regarding manufacturing steps discussed are supported by process simulation using dedicated software. Besides the specific objectives listed above this course has a more general goal. Manufacturing methods and tools used to process nanochips represent the most advanced technology across a broad range of engineering domains. Experiences gained in this course advance student's knowledge and understanding of state-of-the-art manufacturing technology that is applicable in several other domains such as nanomaterials, including nanowires, nanotubes, and nanodots, MEMS fabrication, as well as in bioelectronics, molecular electronics, spintronics and others. In addition to lectures, EE 441 has a laboratory portion that gives students an opportunity to gain hands-on experience with key processes used to manufacture advanced silicon integrated circuits. The laboratory experience helps students appreciate the intricacies of the integrated circuit fabrication procedures as well as establish connection between theoretical concepts and the outcome of the real-life manufacturing process. In the course of ten laboratory sessions students first process from scratch a simple MOS integrated circuit and then test its performance by carrying out a set of electrical tests.