Part A – Vacuum Technology
Many modern production industries from semiconductor fabrication to medical devices employ vacuum technology and vacuum-based processing systems. This course will introduce the fundamentals of vacuum technology and system design and will then proceed to look at applications of the technology. The module will include an introduction to gas kinetics in the context of a controlled atmosphere, the analysis of the issues involved in atmosphere control, measurement and pumping and a thorough description of the equipment typically used industrially in the generation and monitoring of controlled atmospheres. Good laboratory practice will be emphasised throughout. Applications include introductory surface physics and plasma technology in industry.
Part B – Semiconductor Technology
The inorganic semiconductor fabrication process will be examined in detail beginning with the production of electrical grade silicon and finishing with the production of a semiconductor device. The procedures employed by industry at each step of the fabrication process will be examined. The student will also be introduced to the theoretical background to each of the production steps. New organic semiconducting materials will be discussed and their performance evaluated against traditional inorganic semiconductors. New carbon technologies will be introduced and discussed.
Part A – Vacuum Technology
- Principles behind the generation and monitoring of controlled atmospheres;
- Main gas pumping techniques and pressure measurement techniques in industrial use today;
- Quality of vacuum in a system based on mass spectrometry data;
- Surface generation in vacuum and surface reconstruction nomenclature;
- Electron-based and scanning probe microscopy surface analysis techniques;
- Different plasma generation methods;
- Key element(s) of a given plasma which are important for the achievement of different physical outcomes on interaction with samples;
- Expected behaviour of the different elements of a given plasma on interaction with samples;
Part B – Semiconductor Technology
- Overview of the entire semiconductor fabrication process,
- Material Purification,
- Crystal Growth,
- Crystal Doping,
- Slice Preparation,
- Epitaxial Growth – Chemical Vapour Deposition – Molecular Beam Epitaxy,
- Oxidation – Chemical and Thermal – Oxidation Kinetics,
- Lithography,
- Type conversion – Atomic Diffusion – Ion Implantation,
- Metallization,
- Device Testing.
- Structure and properties of organic semiconductors
- Organic semiconductors device fabrication
- Comparison of inorganic and organic devices
Laboratory Experiment
Silicon Fabrication Course.
| A combination of techniques will be employed as appropriate to each element of the module content including lectures, discussion, problem-solving sessions, research methods, self learning and experimental observation.
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| Module Content & Assessment | |
|---|---|
| Assessment Breakdown | % |
| Formal Examination | 60 |
| Other Assessment(s) | 40 |