Semiconductor Lithography and Materials Characterization

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and definitions related to semiconductor lithography and materials characterization.

Lithography

A process for transferring defined patterns onto substrates.

Moore's Law

The observation that the number of transistors on a chip doubles approximately every two years.

Clean Room

A controlled environment for device fabrication, equipped with HEPA air filters.

Photoresist

A light-sensitive material used in photolithography to form a patterned coating.

Etching

A process to remove layers from the surface of a material during manufacturing.

Nanofabrication

The practice of fabricating structures at the nanoscale, either top-down or bottom-up.

Photolithography

A lithographic process where UV-light is used to transfer a pattern onto a substrate.

EUV Lithography

Extreme ultraviolet lithography, using wavelengths of 13.5 nm for advanced patterning.

RCA Cleaning

A standard silicon wafer cleaning process involving two solutions to remove contaminants.

Developer

A chemical solution used to develop the exposed photoresist.

Mask

A patterned template used in photolithography to define areas for etching or deposition.

Dichloromethane

A solvent used in photolithography processes for developing photoresist.

Surface Profilometry

A measurement technique used to characterize surface topography.

Resolution

The ability to distinguish small details in an imaging system, often described by the Rayleigh criterion.

SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy)

A type of microscopy that uses electrons to scan the surface of a sample.

TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy)

A microscopy technique that transmits electrons through a specimen to form an image.

XRD (X-Ray Diffraction)

A technique used to study the crystallographic structure of materials.

Photo Lithography Process

Steps include surface cleaning, resist coating, exposure, development, etching, and inspection.

Negative Tone Resist

A type of photoresist where exposed areas become less soluble during development.

Positive Tone Resist

A type of photoresist where exposed areas become more soluble during development.

HEPA Filter

High Efficiency Particulate Air filter that removes at least 99.97% of particles.