Process Development for the Fabrication of Semiconductor Devices and Circuits Using Spin-On Dopant

摘要

Traditional approaches to semiconductor device fabrication are expensive and time consuming, making them out of reach for most universities and colleges. The objective of this thesis is to develop a process by which semiconductor devices and circuits can be implemented completely in-house using spin-on dopants (SODs), and low-cost transparency masks, to significantly reduce the lead time, complexity, and cost associated with device fabrication. This will allow hands on fabrication experience for students at universities and colleges without the traditional expensive device fabrication facilities. In addition, it will also allow students and professors to design, fabricate and test semiconductor devices and simple integrated circuits in house rapidly and inexpensively. The process developed in this project is based on the existing facilities and equipment at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; and can be transferred to most university and college environments. A pn junction diode and a simple integrated circuit consisting of pn junction diodes were used for the process development. The process was optimized by comparing the effects of process variations, contact location, and diffusion heating profiles on device characteristics. The process developed in this project is expected to provide hands-on fabrication experience for students without such access, as well as for the rapid prototyping of simple devices and integrated circuits for universities and colleges without expensive fabrication facilities.