From 1995-2000, researchers at The University of Texas at Austin and the University of Wisconsin, Madison investigated and demonstrated new, intelligent manufacturing processes for growing epitaxial silicon alloy thin films that employ input from in situ optical process sensors to maintain precise control of film composition and thickness. The research team accomplished what was set forth in the original proposal. Significant progress was made in understanding the fundamental chemistry and physics of thin alloy films that affects the sensor operation and growth models, in developing and implementing state estimation and model predictive control techniques, in advancing optical sensors that can provide a complete description of the film properties, and in the design and demonstration of strained SiGe/Si and SiGeC/Si heterostructures with significant device performance enhancements over Si-based devices.

Semiconductor equipment modeling has in recent years become a field of great interest, because it offers the potential to support development and optimization of manufacturing equipment and hence reduce the cost and improve the quality of the reactors. This book is the result of two parallel lines of research dealing with the same subject - Modeling of Tungsten CVD processes -, which were per formed independently under very different boundary conditions. On the one side, Chris Kleijn, working in an academic research environment, was able to go deep enough into the subject to laya solid foundation and prove the validity of all the assumptions made in his work. On the other side, Christoph Werner, working in the context of an industrial research lab, was able to closely interact with manufacturing and development engineers in a modern submicron semiconductor processing line. Because of these different approaches, the informal collaboration during the course of the projects proved to be extremely helpful to both sides, even though - or perhaps because - different computer codes, different CVD reactors and also slightly different models were used. In spite of the inconsistencies which might arise from this double approach, we feel that the presentation of both sets of results in one book will be very useful for people working in similar projects.