Issue

With research dollars being cut back by both the US government and private companies (see "Will the US lose its lead in research?" Solid State Technology, January 2004, p. 12), it would be wise to tune the funding model to gain maximum effectiveness.

Until recently, mask data preparation (MDP; including fracturing) was considered a commodity service conducted after tape-out that facilitated the transition of the design data into a maskwriting format for mask manufacturing.

In the early 1990s, when the search started for low-k dielectrics to provide lower capacitance and improve signal integrity by reducing crosstalk between adjacent lines, process engineers wanted low-k materials to be the direct replacement of PECVD oxide (k ≈ 4).

The 2003 edition of the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS), made available in December (http://public.itrs.net), highlighted many challenges related to system-in-package issues and the increasing complexity of semiconductor products, as well as the growing interrelated nature of semiconductor design and manufacturing flows.

Solid State Technology asked industry experts how collaboration was enabling progress on Cu/low-k integration.

Shrinking feature sizes are making devices increasingly vulnerable to gas-phase contamination.

Overcoming the limitations of MEMS technology based on planar silicon techniques can be achieved by sequential deposition of high-conductivity metals. This approach enables the design of different structures, including high-Q RF devices, on the same substrate without the need for manual processing.

A high-performance SiGe p-type metal-oxide-semiconductor heterostructure field effect transistor (pMOS-HFET or pHMOS) has been developed using a well-controlled boron delta-doping and SiGe/Si heterostructure epitaxial process with reduced-pressure chemical vapor deposition.

The processing of compound semiconductors often requires back-thinning of the processed wafers or backside lithography.

April 19-23, Munich, Germany

Semicon Europa showcases semiconductor equipment, materials, and services in Europe. Following are some of the new products that will be exhibited at the show.