Introduction To Semiconductor Manufacturing
Expert-defined terms from the Global Certificate Course in Semiconductor Photolithography course at LearnUNI. Free to read, free to share, paired with a professional course.
Aerial Image is the image of the pattern formed on the wafers duri… #
The aerial image is a critical factor in determining the resolution and quality of the final pattern. Related terms include depth of focus and numerical aperture.
Alignment is the process of positioning the mask and wafers in a p… #
The alignment process is critical in semiconductor manufacturing as it directly affects the yields and quality of the final product. Related terms include overlay and mismatch.
Annealing is a thermal process used to relieve stress and defec… #
The annealing process involves heating the wafer to a high temperature and then slowly cooling it down to relieve any stress or defects that may have occurred during the manufacturing process. Related terms include implantation and diffusion.
Anti #
Reflective Coating (ARC) is a type of coating applied to the wafers to reduce reflection and improve the quality of the aerial image. The ARC is typically applied to the wafers before the photolithography process and is designed to reduce the amount of light that is reflected back into the lens. Related terms include bottom anti-reflective coating and top anti-reflective coating.
Aspect Ratio is the ratio of the height of a feature to its wid… #
The aspect ratio is an important factor in semiconductor manufacturing as it can affect the quality and yields of the final product. A high aspect ratio can make it more difficult to etch or deposit material, while a low aspect ratio can make it more difficult to achieve the desired resolution. Related terms include depth of focus and numerical aperture.
Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is a type of deposition process used to dep… #
The ALD process involves the alternating deposition of two or more chemical precursors to form a thin film of material. Related terms include chemical vapor deposition and physical vapor deposition.
Back End of Line (BEOL) refers to the stages of semiconductor manufacturi… #
The BEOL stages include metallization, dielectric deposition, and planarization. Related terms include front end of line and middle end of line.
Barrier Layer is a type of layer used to prevent the diffusion of… #
The barrier layer is typically made of a material that is inert and has a high density. Related terms include etch stop layer and hard mask.
Binary Mask is a type of mask that has only two tones , clear</b… #
The binary mask is used to pattern the wafers with a simple design and is typically used for contact and via layers. Related terms include phase shift mask and attenuated phase shift mask.
Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) is a type of planarization process us… #
The CMP process involves the use of a chemical slurry and a polishing pad to remove material and smooth out the surface. Related terms include etch back and spin etch.
Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) is a type of deposition process used to d… #
The CVD process involves the reaction of chemical precursors to form a thin film of material. Related terms include physical vapor deposition and atomic layer deposition.
Coating is a type of layer applied to the wafers to protect them f… #
The coating can be made of a variety of materials, including photoresist, anti-reflective coating, and hard mask. Related terms include resist coating and barrier layer.
Contact is a type of layer used to connect the transistors and oth… #
The contact layer is typically made of a conductive material and is used to connect the transistors and other devices to the metallization layer. Related terms include via and metal interconnect.
Critical Dimension (CD) is the dimension of a feature that is critical to… #
The CD is typically measured in terms of the width or height of a feature and is used to determine the quality and yields of the final product. Related terms include overlay and mismatch.
Deep Ultra Violet (DUV) is a type of lithography that uses a wavelengt… #
The DUV lithography is used to pattern the wafers with a high resolution and is typically used for advanced nodes. Related terms include extreme ultra violet and immersion lithography.
Defect is a type of flaw or imperfection in the wafers or <… #
The defect can be caused by a variety of factors, including contamination, processing errors, and material defects. Related terms include yields and reliability.
Deposition is a type of process used to deposit thin films of mate… #
The deposition process can be used to deposit a variety of materials, including conductors, insulators, and semiconductors. Related terms include chemical vapor deposition and physical vapor deposition.
Design for Manufacturability (DFM) is a type of design approach that take… #
The DFM approach involves designing the device with the manufacturing process in mind and is used to improve the yields and quality of the final product. Related terms include design for testability and design for reliability.
Device is a type of component that is used to perform a specific funct… #
The device can be a transistor, diode, resistor, or capacitor, and is used to build a variety of electronic circuits and systems. Related terms include integrated circuit and system on chip.
Dielectric is a type of material that is used to insulate the conducto… #
The dielectric material is typically made of a non-conductive material and is used to prevent the shorting of the conductors. Related terms include insulator and barrier layer.
Diffusion is a type of process used to introduce dopants into the… #
The diffusion process involves the thermal treatment of the wafer in a chamber containing the dopant gas. Related terms include implantation and annealing.
Etch is a type of process used to remove material from the wafe… #
The etch process can be used to remove a variety of materials, including conductors, insulators, and semiconductors. Related terms include wet etch and dry etch.
Etch Stop Layer is a type of layer used to stop the etch proces… #
The etch stop layer is typically made of a material that is resistant to the etch process and is used to prevent the over-etching of the wafer. Related terms include barrier layer and hard mask.
Front End of Line (FEOL) refers to the stages of semiconductor manufactur… #
The FEOL stages include wafer preparation, layer deposition, and transistor formation. Related terms include back end of line and middle end of line.
Gate is a type of component that is used to control the flow of <b… #
The gate is typically made of a conductive material and is used to switch the transistor on and off. Related terms include source and drain.
Hard Mask is a type of layer used to protect the underlying lay… #
The hard mask is typically made of a material that is resistant to the etch process and is used to prevent the damage of the underlying layers. Related terms include barrier layer and etch stop layer.
Immersion Lithography is a type of lithography that uses a wavelength<… #
The immersion lithography is used to pattern the wafers with a high resolution and is typically used for advanced nodes. Related terms include extreme ultra violet and dry lithography.
Implantation is a type of process used to introduce dopants into t… #
The implantation process involves the bombardment of the wafer with high-energy ions and is used to create regions with different conductivity types. Related terms include diffusion and annealing.
Insulator is a type of material that is used to prevent the flow o… #
The insulator material is typically made of a non-conductive material and is used to prevent the shorting of the conductors. Related terms include dielectric and barrier layer.
Interconnect is a type of layer used to connect the transistors an… #
The interconnect layer is typically made of a conductive material and is used to connect the transistors and other devices to the metallization layer. Related terms include contact and via.
Laminate is a type of layer used to protect the underlying laye… #
The laminate layer is typically made of a material that is resistant to the processing steps and is used to prevent the damage of the underlying layers. Related terms include hard mask and barrier layer.
Lithography is a type of process used to pattern the wafers with a… #
The lithography process involves the use of light to expose the photoresist material and is used to create the patterns on the wafers. Related terms include photolithography and electron beam lithography.
Mask is a type of template used to pattern the wafers during the <… #
The mask is typically made of a material that is transparent to the wavelength of light used in the lithography process and is used to create the patterns on the wafers. Related terms include reticle and photomask.
Metallization is a type of layer used to connect the transistors a… #
The metallization layer is typically made of a conductive material and is used to connect the transistors and other devices to the interconnect layer. Related terms include contact and via.
Middle End of Line (MEOL) refers to the stages of semiconductor manufactu… #
The MEOL stages include contact and via formation, and dielectric deposition. Related terms include front end of line and back end of line.
Numerical Aperture (NA) is a measure of the ability of a lens</… #
The NA is typically used to determine the resolution and depth of focus of a lithography system. Related terms include wavelength and coherence.
Overlay is a type of layer used to align the patterns on the wa… #
The overlay layer is typically made of a material that is visible to the lithography system and is used to ensure that the patterns on the wafers are accurately aligned with the underlying layers. Related terms include alignment and mismatch.
Photoresist is a type of material that is used to pattern the w… #
The photoresist material is typically made of a polymer that is sensitive to the wavelength of light used in the lithography process and is used to create the patterns on the wafers. Related terms include positive photoresist and negative photoresist.
Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) is a type of deposition process used to d… #
The PVD process involves the vaporization of a target material and the deposition of the vaporized material onto the wafers. Related terms include chemical vapor deposition and atomic layer deposition.
Planarization is a type of process used to smooth out the surface … #
The planarization process involves the use of a chemical slurry and a polishing pad to remove material and smooth out the surface. Related terms include chemical mechanical polishing and etch back.
Resolution is a measure of the ability of a lithography … #
The resolution is typically measured in terms of the minimum feature size that can be patterned on the wafers. Related terms include wavelength and numerical aperture.
Reticle is a type of template used to pattern the wafers during th… #
The reticle is typically made of a material that is transparent to the wavelength of light used in the lithography process and is used to create the patterns on the wafers. Related terms include mask and photomask.
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) is a type of imaging technique used to… #
The SEM technique involves the use of a focused electron beam to image the surface of the wafers and is used to inspect the quality and yields of the final product. Related terms include transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy.
Shallow Trench Isolation (STI) is a type of isolation technique used to i… #
The STI technique involves the etching of a trench in the wafer and the filling of the trench with a dielectric material. Related terms include local oxidation of silicon and deep trench isolation.
Source is a type of component that is used to provide the input <b… #
The source is typically made of a conductive material and is used to connect the transistor to the interconnect layer. Related terms include drain and gate.
Substrate is a type of material that is used as the base for the <… #
The substrate material is typically made of a semiconductor material such as silicon and is used to provide the foundation for the devices and circuits on the wafers. Related terms include wafers and epitaxy.
Target is a type of material that is used as the source for the <b… #
The target material is typically made of a material that is compatible with the deposition process and is used to provide the material for the deposition process. Related terms include sputtering and evaporation.
Thermal Treatment is a type of process used to anneal the wafer… #
The thermal treatment process involves the heating of the wafers to a high temperature and then slowly cooling them down to relieve any stress or defects that may have occurred during the manufacturing process. Related terms include implantation and diffusion.
Transistor is a type of device that is used to amplify or switc… #
The transistor is typically made of a semiconductor material and is used to build a variety of electronic circuits and systems. Related terms include diode and resistor.
Via is a type of layer used to connect the transistors and other <… #
The via layer is typically made of a conductive material and is used to connect the transistors and other devices to the metallization layer. Related terms include contact and interconnect.
Wafer is a type of substrate that is used as the base for the d… #
The wafer is typically made of a semiconductor material such as silicon and is used to provide the foundation for the devices and circuits on the chip. Related terms include substrate and epitaxy.
Yield is a measure of the percentage of devices that are <b… #
The yield is typically used to determine the quality and reliability of the final product and is used to identify areas for improvement in the manufacturing process. Related terms include defect and reliability.