Introduction to

Semiconductor Fabrication Process

Yao-Joe Yang

Why I have to introduce semiconductor

manufacturing process ?
The most important industry in Taiwan
Both IC and LCD use similar
manufacturing concepts
ME play the most important role in the
field (process, equipment, automation,
QC)
The core of the hi-tech in the world
The core of the recent technology
revolution in human history

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 Integrated Circuits

ANALOG ADXL-50 ARCHITECTURE

~ 5 mm

Accelerometer
A classic example of
integration of MEMS
and electronic circuit
The cover picture of
Micorelectronic Circuit
by Sedra and Smith

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 NovaSensor Accelerometer

MIT/AT&T Micro Motor (Circa 1989)

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Optical Switch

Micro-robot

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Packaged tactile array: (a) close-up of polyimide
sensor array inserted into connector and (b) overview
of tactile sensor, connector and PCB patterned to
interface with card-edge connector.

Crystal Growth

Yao-Joe Yang

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 Crystal Pulling: CZ method

Single Crystal Silicon Seed

Quartz Crucible Single Crystal
silicon Ingot

Molten Silicon Heating Coils

1415 C

Graphite Crucible

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CZ Crystal Pulling

Source: http://www.fullman.com/semiconductors/_crystalgrowing.html
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 CZ Silicon Ingots

<100> <111>

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Czochralski Growth Equipnment

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 Overview of Wafer Fabrication

Yao-Joe Yang

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Basic Wafer Fabrication Operations

Layering
form thin layer/film structures
oxidation, CVD, sputtering, evaporation, epitaxy ..
Patterning (patter transfer)
trim layer/film to desired device size
lithography, etching .
Doping skip
adjust layer/film/substrate electrical properties
ion implementation, diffusion
Heat treatment skip
partially recover the damage after certain processes
diffusion process, annealing .

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 Layering
Adding (uniform) thin layers to wafer surfaces
Methods
Growing:
oxidation (grow silicon oxide: SiO2)
nitridation (grow silicon nitride: Si3N4)
Deposition
Epitaxy
chemical vapor deposition
physical vapor deposition

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Layering

In terms of final shapes, there are three types of

layering processes:
Conformal
Planar
Stack (not traditional IC process)

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 Conformal

original original

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Planar

original original

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 Stack
(not traditional IC process)

original original

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Patterning

A series of steps that remove unwanted

patterns from substrate surface layers
Patterns are defined by photo-masks ()
Also known as: Photomasking, masking,
lithography, photo-lithography, -lithography

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 Etching

Example:
Layer 1 is etched by an etchant
Pattern is defined by photo-mask (etching mask is not shown)

Layer 1

Layer 2

Photo-mask

Layer 1

Layer 2

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CMOS Chip
with 4 Metal Passivation 2, nitride
Lead-tin
alloy bump
Passivation 1, USG
Layers Metal 4 Copper
Tantalum
barrier layer
FSG

Metal 3 Copper FSG

Nitride etch
stop layer
FSG
Nitride
Metal 2 Copper seal layer

FSG
Tungsten plug Tantalum
M1 Cu Cu FSG
barrier layer
FSG
T/TiN barrier &
Tungsten local PSG Tungsten adhesion layer
Interconnection
STI n+ n+ USG p+ p+
P-well PMD nitride
N-well 24 layer
P-epi barrier
P-wafer

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 CMOS IC

n+ Source/Drain p+ Source/Drain
Gate Oxide

Polysilicon

p-Si STI n-Si USG

Balk Si

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Overview of Patterning

Yao-Joe Yang

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 Patterning
Patterns transferred from photo-masks to
thin-films on a planar substrate via
lithographic process
Example
Step 1:
Transfer patterns of photo-masks () to
photoresist () by lithography techniques
Step 2:
Use etchants () to etch unwanted portion
of material defined by etching-masks.

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Pattern Transfer:
Example 1

Spin-coating PR

Photo-lithography
alignment and exposure

Development

Etching

Striping remaining PR
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 Example 2:
Starting Material

Polysilicon
STI USG
P-Well
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Example 2:
Spin-coating PR

Photoresist ()
Polysilicon
STI USG
P-Well
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 Example 2:
Photo-Mask Alignment (using an aligner)
Photomask ()

Photoresist
Polysilicon
STI USG
P-Well
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Example 2:
Gate Mask Exposure
Gate Mask

Photoresist
Polysilicon
STI USG
P-Well
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 Example 2:
Development

PR
Polysilicon
STI USG
P-Well
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Example 2:
Etch Polysilicon (not finished yet)

Polysilicon

PR

STI USG
P-Well
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 Example 2:
Final Shape of Etched Polysilicon

Gate Oxide Polysilicon

PR

STI USG
P-Well
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Example 2:
Strip Photoresist

Gate Oxide Polysilicon

STI USG
P-Well
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 Patterning
Summary of a typical patterning procedure
Spin coating photoresist (PR) on a wafer
Mask alignment with the wafer using an
aligner ()
Exposure of PR
Development (remove unwanted PR)
With the remained PR as etching masks, etch the
wafer
Striping the remaining PR from the wafer

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Lithography

Yao-Joe Yang

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 Types of lithography systems

Optical
X-ray (skipped)
electron beam writer (skipped)
non-traditional, no masks

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Optical Lithography

Photo-masks ()
Interface between designers and devices
Designers layout design (mask) on computers (2D patterns)

opaque patterns (chromium) on transparent glass (fused

silica)

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 Photomasks ()

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Photoresist
Photoresist (PR, )
Optical resists:
photosensitive polymers
PR is coated on the whole
substrate surface using spin-
coater
Positive PR:
can be removed by KOH or
NaOH solution if it is exposed
most popular for IC process
Negative PR:
can be removed by specific
solution if it is not exposed
not good for feature size < 3 um

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 Aligners

Alignment and exposure systems

()

A microscopic system which:

Align the photo-mask and the substrate
Expose PR
Also called:
printers

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Classification of aligners by exposure methods

Contact printer ()
High resolution ( 1m)
Mask deterioration
Proximity printer ()
10 - 25 m gap --> longer mask life
Diffraction effect --> 2 - 4 m resolution
Projection printer ()
Image of mask usually reduced
Scanning or stepping of small field (~ 1cm)
VLSI standard (0.25 m possible with deep-
UV source)

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 Schematics of Exposure systems

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Contact Printer

Light Source

Lenses

Mask

Photoresist
Wafer

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 Proximity Printer

Light Source

Lenses

Mask

Photoresist ~10 m
Wafer

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Scanning Projection System

Light Source Slit

Lens

Synchronized Mask
mask and wafer
movement
(stepper) Lens

Photoresist

Wafer
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 Lithography

Karl Suss Contact Aligner stepper

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Light sources ()

Visible light
Ultraviolet (UV)
Deep ultraviolet (DUV)
Extreme ultraviolet (EUV)

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 Coating of Photoresists

Spinning coating
Final thickness of photoresist is a function of rotating speed.
1
Thickness

Relationship has been calibrated and formed a look up table

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Photoresist Spin Coating

PR dispenser
PR suck back nozzle
Wafer

Chuck
Spindle

To vacuum
pump
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 Photoresist Spin Coating

PR dispenser
PR suck back nozzle
Wafer

Chuck
Spindle

To vacuum
pump
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Coater ()

Spin coater

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