Course overview

Making the Microchip - At the Limits - III is an overview of the semiconductor processing industry. This video course, based on training principles, provides a comprehensive view of the complex manufacturing steps using non-technical terminology and analogies. The most recent advances in IC manufacturing such as the use of copper, chemical mechanical planarization, multi-level metal and high and low-k dielectrics are addressed.

Footage taken at major IC manufacturing facilities provides insight into the nature of the dynamic semiconductor industry. Graphics enable the viewer to clearly understand the manufacturing process.

Who should participate

Presentation is non-technical with a manufacturing focus and on the level of an introductory level university course. Persons new to the industry or those who have in-depth knowledge of a specialty area will benefit from participating. Marketing, sales, service, manufacturing, engineering, and financial professionals will find this course valuable. This seminar is beneficial for recent hires into the semiconductor industry, as well as industry specialists who desire a refresher course on how their job or product fits into the manufacturing process. In general, the target audience includes:

• Employees of IC manufacturing and supplier companies who have not participated in an introductory course
• Industry professionals with specialized knowledge who would benefit from a broad view
• Employees of companies that provide products and services to IC manufacturers and their suppliers such as public relations and advertising firms and financial investment organizations

Earn your completion certificate

View the video as many times as you wish during a thirty-day period. Then take our online test to demonstrate your acquired knowledge. Pass the test and receive a downloadable Course Completion Certificate.

Course outline

1. Overview (17 minutes)
   • Industry History
   • Microchip Manufacturing Phases
   • Material Preparation
   • Crystal Growth
   • Wafer Fabrication
   • Assembly/Packaging
   • Contamination Control
2. Wafer Fabrication (22 minutes)
   • Layering: CVD, PVD
   • Patterning/Lithography: Mask Making, Expose, Develop, Etch
   • Doping: Diffusion, Ion Implantation
3. Part 3 (12 minutes)
   • MOS Transistor Formation with Shallow Trench Isolation
   • Test, Assembly/Packaging