The silicon crystal is indispensible for the production of large scale integrated (LSI) circuits whose use has grown rapidly in the past two decades to become the centerpiece of semiconductor technology. Silicon crystal are therefore key materials in this industry. Historically, of the semiconductor materials, germanium crystals have been first used in semiconductor devices, but they have been replaced by silicon crystals ever since integrated circuits came to be developed. This paper explains the reasons for the prevailing use of silicon crystals; recent developments in very large scale integrated (VLSL) technology are discussed next.

Semiconductor Silicon Crystal Technology provides information pertinent to silicon, which is the dominant material in the semiconductor industry. This book discusses the technology of integrated circuits (ICs) in electronic materials manufacturer. Comprised of eight chapters, this book provides an overview of the basic science, silicon materials, IC device fabrication processes, and their interaction for enhancing both the processes and materials. This text then proceeds with a discussion of the atomic structure and bonding mechanisms in order to understand the nature and formation of crystal structures, which are the fundamentals of material science. Other chapters consider the technological crystallography and classify natural crystal morphologies based on observation. The final chapter deals with the interrelationships among silicon material characteristics, circuit design, and IC fabrication in order to ensure the fabrication of very-large-scale-integration/ultra-large-scale-integration circuits. This book is a valuable resource for graduate students, physicists, engineers, materials scientists, and professionals involved in semiconductor industry.

Semiconductors and the Information Revolution sets out to explain the development of modern electronic systems and devices from the viewpoint of the semiconductor materials (germanium, silicon, gallium arsenide and many others) which made them possible. It covers the scientific understanding of these materials and its intimate relationship with their technology and many applications. It began with Michael Faraday, took off in a big way with the invention of the transistor at Bell Labs in 1947 and is still burgeoning today. It is a story to match any artistic or engineering achievement of man and this is the first time it has been presented in a style suited to the non-specialist. It is written in a lively, non-mathematical style which brings out the excitement of discovery and the fascinating interplay between the demands of system pull and technological push. It also looks at the nature of some of the personal interactions which helped to shape the modern technological world. An introductory chapter illustrates just how dependent we are on modern electronic systems and explains the significance of semiconductors in their development. It also provides, in as painless a way as possible, a necessary understanding of semiconductor properties in relation to these applications. The second chapter takes up the historical account and ends with some important results emerging from the Second World War – including its effect on the organisation of scientific research. Chapter three describes the world-shaking discovery of the transistor and some of the early struggles to make it commercially viable, including the marketing of the first transistor radio. In chapter four we meet the integrated circuit which gave shape to much of our modern life in the form of the personal computer (and which gave rise to a famously long-running patent war!). Later chapters cover the application of compound semiconductors to light-emitting devices, such as LEDs and lasers, and light detecting devices such as photocells. We learn how these developments led to the invention of the CD player and DVD recorder, how other materials were applied to the development of sophisticated night vision equipment, fibre optical communications systems, solar photovoltaic panels and flat panel displays. Similarly, microwave techniques essential to our modern day love of mobile phoning are seen to depend on clever materials scientists who, not for the first time, "invented" new semiconductors with just the right properties. Altogether, it is an amazing story and one which deserves to be more widely known. Read this book and you will be rewarded with a much deeper understanding and appreciation of the technological revolution which shapes so many aspects of our lives. A historical account of the development of semiconductor physics, devices and applications from the nineteenth century to the present day Coverage of the importance of material quality and its relation to the physics of the devices Presented in a strictly non-mathematical and anecedotal way, to appeal to a wide audience Provides the broad sweep of science history

A summary of the science, technology, and manufacturing of semiconductor silicon materials. Properties of silicon are detailed, and a set of silicon binary phase diagrams is included. Other aspects such as materials handling, safety, impurity, and defect reduction are also discussed.

Presenting all the major stages in wafer manufacturing, from crystals to prime wafers. This book first outlines the physics, associated metrology, process modelling and quality requirements and the goes on to discuss wafer forming and wafer surface preparation techniques. The whole is rounded off with a chapter on the research and future challenges in wafer manufacturing.

This book emphasizes the importance of the fascinating atomistic insights into the defects and the impurities as well as the dynamic behaviors in silicon materials, which have become more directly accessible over the past 20 years. Such progress has been made possible by newly developed experimental methods, first principle theories, and computer simulation techniques. The book is aimed at young researchers, scientists, and technicians in related industries. The main purposes are to provide readers with 1) the basic physics behind defects in silicon materials, 2) the atomistic modeling as well as the characterization techniques related to defects and impurities in silicon materials, and 3) an overview of the wide range of the research fields involved.

Silicon, as a single-crystal semiconductor, has sparked a revolution in the field of electronics and touched nearly every field of science and technology. Though available abundantly as silica and in various other forms in nature, silicon is difficult to separate from its chemical compounds because of its reactivity. As a solid, silicon is chemically inert and stable, but growing it as a single crystal creates many technological challenges. Crystal Growth and Evaluation of Silicon for VLSI and ULSI is one of the first books to cover the systematic growth of silicon single crystals and the complete evaluation of silicon, from sand to useful wafers for device fabrication. Written for engineers and researchers working in semiconductor fabrication industries, this practical text: Describes different techniques used to grow silicon single crystals Explains how grown single-crystal ingots become a complete silicon wafer for integrated-circuit fabrication Reviews different methods to evaluate silicon wafers to determine suitability for device applications Analyzes silicon wafers in terms of resistivity and impurity concentration mapping Examines the effect of intentional and unintentional impurities Explores the defects found in regular silicon-crystal lattice Discusses silicon wafer preparation for VLSI and ULSI processing Crystal Growth and Evaluation of Silicon for VLSI and ULSI is an essential reference for different approaches to the selection of the basic silicon-containing compound, separation of silicon as metallurgical-grade pure silicon, subsequent purification, single-crystal growth, and defects and evaluation of the deviations within the grown crystals.