Course Catalogue

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This course will give students a comprehensive understanding of the fabrication processes that are used in research and industry to construct complex micro- and nanoelectronic structures on planar substrates. Students will be able to use this understanding of the chemistry, physics and engineering of planar processes to predict the performance of fabricated structures, with examples including the fabrication of foundational semiconductor devices.

The course will be timetabled in blocks

Mandatory Entry Requirements

None

Recommended Entry Requirements

None

None.

None.

Degree Examination 70%

Assignments: essay on the economic, social and environmental contexts of micro- and nanotechnology (10%); predictive calculations on silicon processing (10%); fabricated device measurement and analysis (10%).

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

Due to the nature of the coursework and sequencing of courses, it is not possible to reassess coursework.

The initial grade on coursework will be used when calculating the resit grade.

This course aims to:

■ introduce students to the historical development and present importance of micro- and nano-fabrication technologies;

■ give a clear qualitative, quantitative and practical understanding of the key industrial processes used in micro- and nano-fabrication, and the physical principles underpinning these processes;

■ develop students' abilities to predict the outcomes of fabrication processes in the creation of practical microelectronic devices, and then measure, analyse and optimise fabrication flows.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ explain the physical and chemical processes underpinning key fabrication techniques (including lithography, oxidation, epitaxy, chemical mechanical polishing, metallisation, diffusion, ion implantation, and dry etching);

■ contrast different fabrication methods with respect to technical difficulty, efficacy and utility;

■ calculate processing parameters for oxidation, epitaxy, diffusion, implantation and etch, to predict the results of processes analytically;

■ diagnose processing problems from micrographs and electrical measurements, and present conclusions effectively to experienced practitioners;

■ summarise aspects of health and safety associated with cleanroom fabrication and economic, environmental and social impacts of micro- and nano-fabrication in the present and near future, based on sound understanding of technical practicalities.

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Students must attend the degree examination and submit at least 75% by weight of the other components of the course's summative assessment.

Students should attend at least 75% of the timetabled classes of the course.

Note that these are minimum requirements: good students will achieve far higher participation/submission rates. Any student who misses an assessment or a significant number of classes because of illness or other good cause should report this by completing a MyCampus absence report.