Module Identifier PH33710  
Module Title SCIENCE OF SEMICONDUCTOR APPLICATIONS  
Academic Year 2001/2002  
Co-ordinator Dr Andrew Evans  
Semester Semester 2  
Other staff Dr Keith Birkinshaw, Dr Tudor Jenkins  
Pre-Requisite PH24510 , PH33610  
Course delivery Lecture   22 lectures  
  Seminars / Tutorials   Example classes and tutorials  
Assessment Continuous assessment   /test   20%  
  Exam   2 Hours end of semester examination   80%  

Module description


In combination with Semiconductor Physics, the Semiconductor Applications module will not only provide students with an understanding of the physics underlying semiconductor devices and applications but also introduce them to the processing of semiconductors to produce devices.
1) wafer production - single crystal
2) wafer processing - lithography
3) characterisation
4) device preparation
5) the VLSI design process


There will be an optional integrated circuit design experiment in the third year advanced laboratory class to reinforce (4) above and give a literacy in computer aided design (CAD) tools.

Learning outcomes


After taking this module students should be able to:

Additional learning activities


Tutorials.
Example classes.
Visits to other academic/industrial centres within Wales and the UK to view facilities for design, production and testing of semiconductor devices.

Outline syllabus


Introduction to science of semiconductors and microelectronic technology.


Physics and chemistry of bulk semiconductor growth. Epitaxial growth of thin films.


Wafer processing:
oxidation, insulating films; lithography (optical, x-ray, electron-beam, ion-beam); etching (wet chemical, plasma, reactive ion); dopant diffusion, ion implantation; metallisation.


Physics of electron, ion and photon interaction with matter.


Bulk and thin film characterisation techniques:
electrical (conductivity, mobility), optical (reflectance, luminescence), compositional (spectroscopy, microscopy), structural (diffraction, scanned probe).


Statistical process control, quality control analysis:
Device electrical testing, VLSI testing.


Circuits: digital circuits, linear circuits, U and VLSI, gate arrays, ASICS.
Circuit design, VLSI design.
Device/circuit computer simulation.

Reading Lists

Books
DV Morgan and K Board. An Introduction to Semiconductor Microtechnology. J Wiley ISBN 0471924784
I Brodie and JJ Murray. Physics of Microfabrication. Plenum ISBN 0306408635
M Jaros. Physics and Applications of Semiconductor Microstructures. Oxford ISBN 019851994X
N Weste and K Eshraghian. Principles of CMOS design. ISBN 0201082225