Maricopa Community Colleges  GTC214   19936-20086 
Official Course Description: MCCCD Approval: 07/22/08
GTC214 19936-20086 L+L 3 Credit(s) 5 Period(s)
Photo Lithography
Photo lithography techniques for production of photographic images required in the manufacture of integrated circuit chips. Includes circuit layout, mask fabrication, geometry of electrical components, properties of photoresist, process steps, surface preparation, coating, baking, exposing, developing, etching, and resist stripping.
Prerequisites: (GTC133 and CHM130 and CHM130LL) or permission of Department or Division.
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MCCCD Official Course Competencies:
 
GTC214   19936-20086 Photo Lithography
1. Identify the steps required to start material processing. (I)
2. List the steps involved in the imaging process. (I)
3. Identify transistor geometries from cross sections. (I)
4. Describe the process used to design a pattern. (II)
5. Explain the photoresist properties including adhesion, resolution, sensitivity, and removal. (III)
6. Compare and contrast negative and positive photoresist processes. (III)
7. List the basic photoresist process steps and describe each step. (IV)
8. Define the terms resolution and registration, and explain the importance of each in the fabrication process. (V)
9. Identify the main types of mask layers. (V)
10. List the types of process contamination likely to be encountered and describe the equipment used to detect contamination. (VI)
11. Describe the cleaning methods used in surface preparation steps. (VI)
12. Explain the spin method of applying photoresist materials and describe thickness-measuring techniques. (VII)
13. Describe the effect of softbake on expose and procedures for temperature verifications. (VII)
14. Calculate exposure adjustments to correct improper exposure settings for negative and positive photoresists. (VIII)
15. Compare and contrast the in-line and batch developing processes. (VIII)
16. Describe an inspection procedure for identifying an improperly printed pattern. (VIII)
17. Use specifications to create pass-fail criteria for completed work. (VIII)
18. Identify cross sections of isotropic, anisotropic, and re-entrant types of etch. (IX)
19. List the advantages and disadvantages of wet and dry etch processes. (IX)
20. Describe the effects of temperature on the wet etch process. (IX)
21. Describe the common resist strip methods. (IX)
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MCCCD Official Course Outline:
 
GTC214   19936-20086 Photo Lithography
    I. Circuit layout
        A. Material processing steps
        B. Imaging process steps
        C. Device types
        D. Transistor geometries
      II. Mask fabrication
          A. Masks and reticles
          B. Pattern design
          C. Photomask glass quality
          D. Mask pattern measurements
        III. Properties of photoresist
            A. Formation of printed circuits
            B. Photoresist characteristics
              1. Adhesion
              2. Resolution
              3. Sensitivity
              4. Removal
            C. Applications of negative and positive resist
          IV. Photoresist process
              A. Steps
              B. Descriptions
            V. Geometry of electrical components
                A. Resolution and registration
                  1. Definition
                  2. Role in fabrication
                B. CD measurement
                C. EO relationship to CD controls
                D. CD control methods
                E. Mask layers
                  1. Types
                  2. Other
                F. Substrates
                G. Layer purpose
              VI. Surface preparation
                  A. Types of contamination
                  B. Primers
                  C. Contamination detection equipment
                  D. Cleaning methods
                VII. Coat and bake cycle
                    A. Spin coating
                    B. Measuring techniques
                    C. Softbake effects on expose
                    D. Temperature verification
                  VIII. Expose, develop, bake cycle
                      A. Exposure adjustment calculations
                        1. Negative resist
                        2. Positive resist
                      B. Developer types
                      C. Developing processes
                        1. In-line
                        2. Batch
                      D. Potential problems
                        1. Improperly printed patterns
                        2. Defects
                        3. Pass-fail criteria
                    IX. Etching
                        A. Types of etch cross sections
                          1. Isotropic
                          2. Anisotropic
                          3. Re-entrant
                        B. Etch methods
                          1. Wet
                          2. Dry
                        C. Temperature effects on the wet etch process
                        D. Resist strip methods
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