Simplified illustration of the process of fabrication of a CMOS inverter on p-type substrate in semiconductor microfabrication. Each etch step is detailed in the following image. Note: Gate, source and drain contacts are not normally in the same plane in real devices, and the diagram is not to scale.
The main process begins with electrical engineers designing the circuit and defining its functions, and specifying the signals, inputs/outputs and voltages needed. These electrical circuit specifications are entered into electrical circuit design software, such as SPICE, and then imported into circuit layout programs, which are similar to ones used for computer aided design. This is necessary for the layers to be defined for photomask production. The resolution of the circuits increases rapidly with each step in design, as the scale of the circuits at the start of the design process is already being measured in fractions of micrometers. Each step thus increases circuit density for a given area.
The silicon wafers start out blank and pure. The circuits are built in layers in clean rooms. First, photoresist patterns are photo-masked in micrometer detail onto the wafers' surface. The wafers are then exposed to short-wave ultraviolet light and the unexposed areas are thus etched away and cleaned. Hot chemicalvapors are deposited on to the desired zones and baked in high heat, which permeate the vapors into the desired zones. In some cases, ions, such as O2+ or O+, are implanted in precise patterns and at a specific depth by using RF-driven ion sources.
These steps are often repeated many hundreds of times, depending on the complexity of the desired circuit and its connections.
New processes to accomplish each of these steps with better resolution and in improved ways emerge every year, with the result of constantly changing technology in the wafer fabrication industry. New technologies result in denser packing of minuscule surface features such as transistors and micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). This increased density continues the trend often cited as Moore's Law.
In 2013 the cost of building the next generation wafer fab was over $10 billion.[1]
WFE marketedit
Referred to respectively as the wafer fab equipment [2] or wafer front end [3] (equipment) market, both using the acronym WFE, the market is that of the manufacturers of the machines which in turn manufacture semiconductors. The apexresearch link in 2020 identified Applied Materials, ASML, KLA-Tencor, Lam Research, TEL and Dainippon Screen Manufacturing as market participants[2] while the 2019 electronicsweekly.com report, citing The Information Network’s president Robert Castellano, focused on the respective market shares commanded by the two leaders, Applied Materials and ASML.[3]
Referencesedit
^Should an Indian fab use older process? Business Standard, 2013
^ abapexresearch, "Global Wafer Fab Equipment (WFE) Market Insights 2019-2025" njmmanews.com, January 30, 2020. Sample apexresearch report (PDF). "Warning: Potential Security Risk Ahead" on the njmmanews.com link to the "Jesus Martinez fills in against Nah-Shon Burrell at Bellator 108" citation in the Nah-Shon Burrell Wikipedia article; no warning on the other links to the njmmanews.com site here in the "Wafer fabrication" Wikipedia article. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
^ abManners, David, "Applied to lose front-end equipment crown to ASML", electronicsweekly.com, 26 November 2019. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
February 16, 2024
wafer, fabrication, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, septemb. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Wafer fabrication news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2014 Learn how and when to remove this template message Wafer fabrication is a procedure composed of many repeated sequential processes to produce complete electrical or photonic circuits on semiconductor wafers in semiconductor device fabrication process Examples include production of radio frequency RF amplifiers LEDs optical computer components and microprocessors for computers Wafer fabrication is used to build components with the necessary electrical structures Simplified illustration of the process of fabrication of a CMOS inverter on p type substrate in semiconductor microfabrication Each etch step is detailed in the following image Note Gate source and drain contacts are not normally in the same plane in real devices and the diagram is not to scale The main process begins with electrical engineers designing the circuit and defining its functions and specifying the signals inputs outputs and voltages needed These electrical circuit specifications are entered into electrical circuit design software such as SPICE and then imported into circuit layout programs which are similar to ones used for computer aided design This is necessary for the layers to be defined for photomask production The resolution of the circuits increases rapidly with each step in design as the scale of the circuits at the start of the design process is already being measured in fractions of micrometers Each step thus increases circuit density for a given area The silicon wafers start out blank and pure The circuits are built in layers in clean rooms First photoresist patterns are photo masked in micrometer detail onto the wafers surface The wafers are then exposed to short wave ultraviolet light and the unexposed areas are thus etched away and cleaned Hot chemical vapors are deposited on to the desired zones and baked in high heat which permeate the vapors into the desired zones In some cases ions such as O2 or O are implanted in precise patterns and at a specific depth by using RF driven ion sources These steps are often repeated many hundreds of times depending on the complexity of the desired circuit and its connections New processes to accomplish each of these steps with better resolution and in improved ways emerge every year with the result of constantly changing technology in the wafer fabrication industry New technologies result in denser packing of minuscule surface features such as transistors and micro electro mechanical systems MEMS This increased density continues the trend often cited as Moore s Law A fab is a common term for where these processes are accomplished Often the fab is owned by the company that sells the chips such as Intel Texas Instruments or Freescale A foundry is a fab at which semiconductor chips or wafers are fabricated to order for third party companies that sell the chip such as fabs owned by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company TSMC United Microelectronics Corporation UMC GlobalFoundries and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation SMIC In 2013 the cost of building the next generation wafer fab was over 10 billion 1 WFE market editReferred to respectively as the wafer fab equipment 2 or wafer front end 3 equipment market both using the acronym WFE the market is that of the manufacturers of the machines which in turn manufacture semiconductors The apexresearch link in 2020 identified Applied Materials ASML KLA Tencor Lam Research TEL and Dainippon Screen Manufacturing as market participants 2 while the 2019 electronicsweekly com report citing The Information Network s president Robert Castellano focused on the respective market shares commanded by the two leaders Applied Materials and ASML 3 References edit Should an Indian fab use older process Business Standard 2013 a b apexresearch Global Wafer Fab Equipment WFE Market Insights 2019 2025 njmmanews com January 30 2020 Sample apexresearch report PDF Warning Potential Security Risk Ahead on the njmmanews com link to the Jesus Martinez fills in against Nah Shon Burrell at Bellator 108 citation in the Nah Shon Burrell Wikipedia article no warning on the other links to the njmmanews com site here in the Wafer fabrication Wikipedia article Retrieved 2020 05 29 a b Manners David Applied to lose front end equipment crown to ASML electronicsweekly com 26 November 2019 Retrieved 2020 05 29 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wafer fabrication amp oldid 1176038911, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
