Semiconductor Fabrication and Manufacturing Processes
Description
This subject covers the complete semiconductor manufacturing process from wafer preparation to final packaging. Students learn about cleanroom operations, photolithography, etching, deposition, ion implantation, and quality control methods used in modern semiconductor fabs.
Learning Objectives
Students will understand cleanroom protocols and contamination control, master photolithography processes and pattern transfer, analyze various etching and deposition techniques, implement ion implantation and thermal processing, optimize process parameters for yield improvement, and demonstrate knowledge of packaging and assembly techniques.
Topics (16)
Comprehensive study of Czochralski crystal growth, wafer slicing, polishing, cleaning processes, and wafer specification requirements.
Study of process sequencing, thermal budget management, contamination control, and process optimization for device performance.
Study of air filtration systems, particle control, personnel protocols, chemical contamination, and environmental monitoring in cleanroom facilities.
Study of photoresist materials, exposure systems, resolution limits, alignment techniques, and mask technologies for pattern definition.
Advanced study of extreme ultraviolet lithography, electron beam lithography, immersion lithography, and multiple patterning techniques.
Comprehensive coverage of wet chemical etching, dry plasma etching, reactive ion etching, and deep reactive ion etching processes.
Study of chemical vapor deposition (CVD), physical vapor deposition (PVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), and molecular beam epitaxy (MBE).
Study of ion sources, acceleration systems, implantation parameters, damage annealing, and dopant activation processes.
Study of furnace annealing, rapid thermal processing, laser annealing, and their effects on device characteristics.
Study of aluminum and copper metallization, barrier layers, via formation, and interconnect reliability issues.
Study of CMP processes, slurry chemistry, pad selection, and endpoint detection for global planarization.
Study of yield modeling, defect classification, root cause analysis, and statistical process control methods.
Study of packaging materials, assembly processes, thermal management, and electrical connections for semiconductor devices.
Study of through-silicon vias, wafer-level packaging, flip-chip bonding, and heterogeneous integration techniques.
Study of process tools, material handling systems, factory automation, and equipment maintenance strategies.
Study of chemical safety, waste management, environmental regulations, and sustainable manufacturing practices.