MRI: Advanced Processing Equipment for Microelectronics Research

拟议的设备采购将是德克萨斯理工大学（TTU）广泛的跨学科研究计划的主要部分，旨在制造和表征半导体材料。在这个更大的研究主题中，该设备将支持两个主要重点领域的工作-硅加工和化合物半导体-以及过程建模。TTU在这些领域的研究工作正在与私营部门的高水平伙伴关系下取得进展。研究生和本科生都积极参与这项工作。除了研究之外，这些设备还将用于教育和培训两个研究生项目的学生——艺术与科学学院的硕士实习项目（MSI）和工程学院的半导体产品工程硕士项目（SPE）。MSI项目是nsf支持的课程。所需的9到12个月的实习由主要半导体制造商提供支持。SPE程序完全由主要半导体公司支持。在此提案中，pi要求为一个系统提供资金。该系统是一个现代化的研发集群工具，将使他们能够显着改善和扩大他们研究工作中所需的蚀刻和沉积工艺的范围。集束工具由两个电子回旋共振（ECR）等离子体室组成，一个用于大面积（6-8英寸晶圆）沉积，另一个用于蚀刻。该仪器由PlasmaQuest公司制造。这家公司被选中的原因有很多。他们的设备符合我们的需要，价格也很有竞争力。更重要的是，PlasmaQuest产品被我们在德州仪器和雷神公司的工业合作者使用。设备的兼容性在联合工艺开发和随后的技术转让中很重要。这在我们的学生培训活动中也很重要，包括工业合作社和指导。最后，PlasmaQue st在与大学和工业研究人员合作开发各种微电子工艺方面享有良好声誉，并以鼓励成果传播而闻名。所要求的设备将对硅和化合物半导体的研究活动产生重大影响。虽然这两个研究领域看起来相当独立，但实际上有许多协同作用。例如，在硅上沉积AIN似乎对化合物半导体和硅族都很感兴趣。同样，如果没有硅蚀刻技术的发展，氮化镓的低损伤蚀刻是不可能的。虽然设备共享增加了交叉污染的可能性，但他们认为两个研究领域都将受益。他们的建模工作与这两个半导体程序相关。这项工作的目标是开发可靠的蚀刻和沉积的数值模拟，然后用于工艺分析，设计和控制。＊＊＊

9871290 Gangopadhyay The proposed equipment purchase will be a major part of a broad interdisciplinary research initiative at Texas Tech University (TTU), aimed at the fabrication and characterization of semiconductor materials. Within this larger research theme, the equipment will support work in two major focus areas-silicon processing and compound semiconductors-as well as in process modeling. The research effort in these areas at TTU is progressing with high levels of private sector partnership. Both graduate and undergraduate students are actively involved in this work. In addition to research, the equipment will be used for education and training of students in two graduate programs--the Master's Program with Internship (MSI) in the College of Arts and Sciences, and the Master's Program in Semiconductor Product Engineering (SPE) in the College of Engineering. The MSI program is an NSF-supported curriculum. The required nine to twelve months of internship are supported by major semiconductor manufacturers. The SPE program is entirely supported by major semiconductor companies. In this proposal the PIs request funding for one system. This system is a modem R&D cluster tool that will allow them to significantly improve and expand the range of etching and deposition processes needed in their research effort. The cluster tool consists of two electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma chambers, one for large area (6-8 inch wafers) deposition and the other for etching. This instrument is manufactured by PlasmaQuest. This company has been selected for a number of reasons. Their equipment suits our needs and their prices are very competitive. More importantly, PlasmaQuest products are used by our industrial collaborators at Texas Instruments and Raytheon. Compatibility of equipment is important in joint process development and the subsequent technology transfer. It is also important in our student-training activities, including industrial co-ops and mentoring. Finally, PlasmaQue st has an excellent reputation for developing various processes for microelectronics in collaboration with university and industry researchers, and is known for encouraging dissemination of the results. The equipment requested will have a major impact on research activities in Si and compound semiconductors. While the two research areas appear quite separate there are in fact a number of synergies. For instance, deposition of AIN on Si appears to be of interest both to the compound semiconductors and Si communities. Similarly, low damage etching of GaN would not he possible without the expertise developed in the etching of Si. While equipment sharing rises the possibility of cross-contamination, they believe both research areas will benefit. their modeling work is relevant to both semiconductor programs. The goal of this effort is to develop reliable numerical simulations of etching and deposition, which are then to be used in process analysis, design, and control. ***