Module Overview

1

The submicron MOSFET. Hot electrons and hot holes production in submicron MOSFETs. Design of the submicron CMOS inverter circuit to avoid drain-induced barrier lowering, latch up and hot electron production. Techniques to suppress short-channel effects. The self aligned process for fabrication of submicron MOSFETs. Isolation structures in CMOS: LOCOS isolation; bird’s beak effect, trench isolation. High-K dielectric and low-K dielectric materials for submicron MOSFET fabrication. Low power design methods. The FinFET device

4

Metal semiconductor junctions. Schottky barriers. Rectifying contacts. Ohmic contacts. Interconnection technology. Aluminum and aluminum alloys for VLSI metalisation. Metalisation reliability: electromigration, advantages and challenges of using copper as an interconnect material; dual damascene process. Low-K dielectric materials: Strategies for low-K reduction, classification of low-K materials, requirements of low- K materials for integration into the fabrication process.

Introduction to Quantum Mechanics

Quantum wavefunction, Schrodinger equation, Heisenberg uncertainty principle, potential barriers and tunneling.

Solid State Physics

Crystal structures, lattice vibrations, reciprocal space, effective mass, Fermi surfaces.

Nanoelectronics

Requirements for devices on a nano-scale. Quantum particles: explaining electron movement in nanodevices, mobility and material resistivity. Quantum dot devices: explaining current flow through zero-dimensional conductors. Nanowire devices: conduction through nanowires, ballistic transport.

Nanostructured materials

Requirements for devices on a nanoscale: Top-down and bottom-up fabrication. Carbon nanostructures, graphene, fullerenes, carbon nanotubes. Conductive polymers.

Thin film Sensors

Principles of operation of semiconducting metal oxide chemiresitive gas sensors and photodetectors. Conductivity effects due to surface reactions on films with nanocrystallite morphology. Design and analysis of thin film resistive temperature detectors. Material selection and characterisation for improved performance of thin film microheaters. Transparent conductive Oxides (TCO) as a contact material in optoelectronic devices and transparent electronics.

Characterisation techniques

Characterisation techniques and their role in the fabrication of nanoscale devices. Spectroscopic Ellipsometry, Transmission Electron Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy.

Module Content & Assessment
Assessment Breakdown	%
Other Assessment(s)	40
Formal Examination	60