Course starts 04 September 2006
Place: (preliminary) A820 (Fasrummet) MC2 at 13.15
Microelectronics has had tremendous development during the
last ten years broadening the field of applications in many directions. The industry
is pushing the critical device dimensions downward the nanometer scale at a
very rapid rate. This would not have been possible without development of thin
film technology, nanoprocessing, and material science. A great many
sophisticated instruments and techniques, developed to process and characterize
thin films and surfaces, have already become indispensable in virtually every
research area and high-tech industry. While the major exploitation of thin
films is associated with microelectronics, there are numerous and growing novel
applications in communication, optical electronics, energetics, coating, data
storage, etc. Further development requires a continuous search for new
materials advanced methods of deposition, nanoprocessing and characterization
of thin films.
The course aims at giving a basic knowledge of modern
nanoscale thin-film technology, characterization techniques and emerging thin
film materials and applications. Laboratory exercises in the clean room of the
Microtechnology Centre at Chalmers (MC2) will demonstrate how the nanoscale
machinery operates in reality
The core of the course is dedicated to the theory and
practice of thin-film techniques, one of the most important constituents of
modern Nanoscale Technology. Various thin film deposition technologies will be
covered in detail including thermal-evaporation, sputtering, chemical-vapor
deposition and epitaxy. During the lectures students will also study the
technology of vacuum systems including system operation and design, and the
physical behavior of gases.Film formation, its structure and methods of
characterization will be explained. Various physical properties of thin films:
mechanical, electrical, magnetic, and optical will be covered, with an emphasis
on the actual research and development in the thin film nanoscale technology
and emerging practical applications of novel thin-films materials, like
superlattices, diamond films, carbon-nanotubes, films for magnetic recording,
and high-Tc superconductor films.
This course includes about 34 hours of lectures
and problem solving, 8 hours of
demonstrations involving thin-film deposition and
photolithography, and a literature project for 8 hours. A number
of home assignments
will be given to deepen the knowledge obtained during the
lectures.