Microelectronic device development

Table 1 Major events in microelectronic device development...

R. Davis, Recent advances regarding the definition of the atomic environment, film growth and microelectronic device development in SiC, in The Physics and Chemistry of Carbides, Nitrides and Borides, R. Freer (Ed.), Kluwer, Dordrecht, 1990, pp. 589-623. 

One of the more recent advances in XPS is the development of photoelectron microscopy [ ]. By either focusing the incident x-ray beam, or by using electrostatic lenses to image a small spot on the sample, spatially-resolved XPS has become feasible. The limits to the spatial resolution are currently of the order of 1 pm, but are expected to improve. This teclmique has many teclmological applications. For example, the chemical makeup of micromechanical and microelectronic devices can be monitored on the scale of the device dimensions. 

The need to be able to thin complex microelectronic devices, and to select and thin specific regions within them has resulted in ever-more sophisticated specimen preparation methods involving precision ion polishing. This requirement culminated in the development of the focused ion beam (FIB) technique, which is able to slice out electron-transparent foils from any multilayer, multiphase material with extreme precision. Overwijk et al. (1993) have described such a technique for producing cross-section TEM specimens from (e.g.) integrated circuits. 

Implantable microelectronic devices for neural prosthesis require stimulation electrodes to have minimal electrochemical damage to tissue or nerve from chronic stimulation. Since most electrochemical reactions at the stimulation electrode surface alter the hydrogen ion concentration, one can expect a stimulus-induced pH shift [17]. When translated into a biological environment, these pH shifts could potentially have detrimental effects on the surrounding neural tissue and implant function. Measuring depth and spatial profiles of pH changes is important for the development of neural prostheses and safe stimulation protocols. 

When microelectronics and solid state devices developed over the last five to four decades, the development of solid-state sensors followed suit, resulting in the introduction of NTC and PTC resistors to monitor temperature, and first Reed relais and inductive sensors to determine position and distance, or tachometers for rotational measurements in washing machines and dish washers over the past two decades. 

Radiation-sensitive polymers are used to define pattern images for the fabrication of microelectronic devices and circuits. These polymers, called resists, respond to radiation by either chain scission (positive resists) or by crosslinking (negative resists). In positive resists, the exposed areas dissolve selectively by chemical developers in negative resists, the exposed areas are insoluble and remain after development. 

The silicon substrate constitutes a very interesting support for facilitating the integration in microelectronic devices. The electrochemical and electroanalytical fields can gain remarkable benefits from the silicon-based miniaturization devices, especially if arrays of metal electrodes can be fabricated. An understanding of the electrochemical properties of CNTs directly attached to silicon is thus essential for their potential application in developing silicon-based electrochemical or (bio)electrochemical... 

Self-assembly of nanoparticles in well-ordered 2-D arrays represents a major goal in the fabrication of microelectronics devices (Sun et al. 2002, 2003). Different strategies have been developed to tackle the challenge of well-organized nanoparticles in a 2-D plate surface (Andres et al. 1996 Spatz et al. 2000). Schmid and coworkers (2000) reported a long-range ordered sulfonic acid functionalized nanoparticle array... 

Electronic materials encompass a wide variety of solids and their applications. Nevertheless, the area that has become synonymous with electronic materials is microelectronics. This situation has arisen because of the rapid and pervasive development and growth of microelectronic devices or integrated circuits (ICs). Although there are literally hundreds of individual steps that compose the manufacture of an IC, essentially each one is a chemical process. Thus, this book emphasizes the fundamental chemical engineering principles involved in the fabrication of ICs. This volume is intended to be a tutorial tool rather than a comprehensive review. Additional details on specific topics can be obtained from the extensive list of references at the end of each chapter. 

In this paper we present a comprehensive experimental and theoretical description of nanodomain reversal in fe bulk crystals an experimental method for domain switching using hvafm, results on nanodomain switching using hvafm and under indirect electron beam exposure, theory of fe domain breakdown and our last development of the fabrication of nanodomain gratings by the use of multiple tip arrays. We show that fdb is a new physical phenomenon observed in bulk fe crystals, and is the basis for the development of nanodomain technology in bulk fe crystals. This technology is required for future photonic, acoustic and microelectronic devices. 

As discussed in the introduction, a major motivation for the development of methods to controllably functionalize silicon surfaces is the opportunity to create novel hybrid organic/silicon devices. By integrating organic molecules with silicon substrates it should be possible to expand the functionality of conventional microelectronic devices. Possibilities include high-density molecular memory and logic as well as chemical and biochemical sensors. Realization of these opportunities requires not only the development of the attachment chemistries, as discussed in the previous sections, but also detailed studies of the electronic properties of the resulting surfaces. 

Chemical vapor deposition is a key process for thin film formation in the development and manufacture of microelectronic devices. It shares many kinetic and transport phenomena with heterogeneous catalysis, but CVD reactor design has not yet reached the level of sophistication used in analyzing heterogeneous catalytic reactors. With the exception of the tubular LPCVD reactor, conventional CVD reactors may be viewed as variations on the original horizontal reactor. These reactors have complex flow fields and it is consequently difficult to control and predict the effect of operating conditions on the film thickness and composition. 

For future high-speed microelectronic devices, copper interconnection with low dielectric constant (low-k) interlayer films is required to decrease RC (R interconnect resistance, C interlayer dielectric capacitance) delay. Recently, porous Si02 and silica-based films, developed for low-k films, have been extensively studied by positron annihilation spectroscopy [28], [29], [19]. Since Ps formation occurs with high probability, and the o-Ps annihilate via pick-off process in Si02-based materials, positron annihilation spectroscopy (especially PALS) gives useful information on the size of the pores. 

Photoresist A photoimaging material, generally applied as a thin film, whose local solubility properties can be altered photochemically. A subsequent development step produces an image which is useful for the fabrication of microelectronic devices (e.g., integrated circuits). 

Self-assembly of nanoparticles in well-ordered 2D arrays represents a major goal in the fabrication of microelectronics devices. Different methods have been developed to tackle the 2D nanoparticle organization challenge. 

Wholly aromatic polyimides are highly thermally stable engineering plastics, and have been widely used as the reliable insulating materials in microelectronics. Recent developments in this field toward higher integration of devices required ultra thin films of polyimides. Minimum thickness of polyimide films cast by spin coating was about 0.1 Urn. 

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