IC Knowledge - Miscelaneous Technology

Miscellaneous Technology
A page of miscellaneous technical information for the integrated circuit industry (the stuff that doesn't fit in with our other pages) organized by subject.

Select the item you are interested in (note some articles may occur in more than one place because they fit multiple categories):

Semiconductor Text Book
- Fundamental Principles of Integrated Circuit Fabrication A highly technical text book covering Integrated Circuit Fabrication
Chemical Mechanical Planarization
- Chemical Mechanical Planarization - principles and equipment used for Chemical Mechanical Planarization. Left click to view, right click and "Save target as..." to download, 21Kb pdf.
Cleanroom
- Cleanroom Cleanliness Guidelines - guidelines on cleanoom cleanliness requirements for semiconductor and MEMS applications. This is an excert from our Cleanroom Reference Guide for Semiconductor and MEMS Applications.
Devices
- Introduction to IC Devices written in the same style and at the same level as Introduction to IC Technology. Introduction to IC Devices is an introductory chapter from a new report, 2003 IC Technology report. To download Introduction to IC Devices go to the 2003 IC Technology page and select the chapter list, the free download may be accessed from the chapter list.
Dielectric deposition
- Atomic Layer Deposition Tutorial - contributed by Cambridge Nano Tech, a producer of ALD equipment. This tutorial goes over the basics of the process and includes an extensive list of films that can be deposited by ALD. Left click to view, right click and "Save target as..." to download, 2,913Kb pdf. Free pdf viewer.
- Atomic Layer Deposition - atomic layer deposition is an emerging technology that has the potential to meet thin film deposition requirements for the next several generations of IC technology. Left click to view, right click and "Save target as..." to download, 100.7Kb pdf. Free pdf viewer.
- Atomic Layer Deposition - principles and equipment used for Atomic Layer Deposition. Left click to view, right click and "Save target as..." to download, 28Kb pdf.
- High-k gate oxides - as the size of MOSFETs shrinks, silicon dioxide the gate "oxide" used since the industry began is running out of steam. When, what and why will silicon dioxide be replaced. Left click to view, right click and "Save target as..." to download, 29Kb pdf. Free pdf viewer.
Diffusion
- Diffusion in Silicon - diffusion is the movement of impurities in a material due to thermal energy induced random motion. In this highly technical report the theory of diffusion in silicon is discussed in detail Left click to view, right click and "Save target as..." to download, 885Kb pdf.
Failure Analysis
- Surface and Bulk Analysis Techniques - A chart of analysis techniques useful to the semiconductor industry with the capabilities of each technique. Left click to view, right click and "Save target as..." to download, 25.4Kb pdf. Free pdf viewer.
General and Overview
- An Overview of Semiconductor Technology - posted April 25, 2008. The second chapter from a semiconductor text book we were developing back in 2000.
- Introduction to Integrated Circuit Technology revision 4 - a basic primer on IC technology. Updated to revision 4 on November 27, 2005. Left click to view, right click and "Save target as..." to download, 765Kb pdf. Free pdf viewer. If you need a more complete treatment of IC Technology written in the same style, see our IC Technology page
- Current Technical Trends: Dual Damascene & Low-k Dielectrics - a 6 page review article discussing the challenges of integrating copper interconnect with low-k dielectrics. Written by Jerry Healey. Left click to view, right click and "Save target as..." to download, 101.6Kb pdf.
- SOI Wafer Technology for CMOS ICs - an 11 page review article on Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) wafers, how they fit into state-of-the-art CMOS and the technologies used to make SOI wafers. Written by Bob Simonton. Left click to view, right click and "Save target as..." to download, 131.4Kb pdf.
- Properties of Silicon at 300K - a table of silicon properties at room temperatures. Left click to view, right click and "Save target as..." to download, 40Kb pdf. Free pdf viewer.
- Silicon Integrated Circuit Periodic Table - properties of elements of particular interest to the semiconductor industry. Left click to view, right click and "Save target as..." to download, 40Kb pdf. Free pdf viewer.
- Gross and Net Die Calculator - The Free version calculates whole die per wafer based on wafer size, die size and edge exclusion, calculates net die using a Murphy, SEEDS, exponential or Poisson model. Left click to view, right click and "Save target as..." to download, 234Kb. Requires excel 2000 or higher.
- Si:Ge Devices and Technology for Telecommunications IC Applications, written by Stanley Wolf Ph.D, 4 pages long. Left click to view, right click and "Save target as..." to download, 55Kb pdf. Free pdf viewer.
Material properties
- Properties of Silicon - a discussion of structure, mechanical and electrical properties of silicon. Left click to view, right click and "Save target as..." to download, 273Kb pdf. Free pdf viewer.
Metal deposition
- Sputter Technology - principles of sputter deposition. Left click to view, right click and "Save target as..." to download, 468Kb pdf.
- Atomic Layer Deposition - atomic layer deposition is an emerging technology that has the potential to meet thin film deposition requirements for the next several generations of IC technology. Left click to view, right click and "Save target as..." to download, 100.7Kb pdf. Free pdf viewer.
- Atomic Layer Deposition - principles and equipment used for Atomic Layer Deposition. Left click to view, right click and "Save target as..." to download, 28Kb pdf.
Photolithography
- Lithography Options for 32nm and 22nm - a discussion of the lithography options for the next two process nodes.
- Photolithography - the process of forming patterns on a wafer surface using photographic processes. This is a highly technical chapter from a text book we were writing in 2000. Left click to view, right click and "Save target as..." to download, 606.7Kb pdf. Free pdf viewer.
- Immersion Lithography - immersion lithography has the potential to extend optical lithography through the end of the decade. Learn about this important new technology. Left click to view, right click and "Save target as..." to download, 29Kb pdf. Free pdf viewer.
- DUV Photolithography Process - a 3D color illustration of a Deep Ultraviolet Photolithography process. Left click to view, right click and "Save target as..." to download, 177Kb pdf.
- Stepper Technology - 3D color illustrations of the key elements of stepper technology including stepper optic, excimer laser sources, stage control and pattern stepping. Left click to view, right click and "Save target as..." to download, 75.8Kb pdf.
Safety
- Gas Safety Data Summary - a chart listing gases used in the semiconductor industry and their properties with particular relevance to safety. Left click to view, right click and "Save target as..." to download, 33Kb pdf. Free pdf viewer.
Wafer cleaning
- Sonic Cleaning - principles and equipment used for ultrasonic and megasonic particle removal. Left click to view, right click and "Save target as..." to download, 19Kb pdf.