This Springer Handbook comprehensively covers the topic of semiconductor devices, embracing all aspects from theoretical background to fabrication, modeling, and applications. Nearly 100 leading scientists from industry and academia were selected to write the handbook's chapters, which were conceived for professionals and practitioners, material scientists, physicists and electrical engineers working at universities, industrial R&D, and manufacturers. Starting from the description of the relevant technological aspects and fabrication steps, the handbook proceeds with a section fully devoted to the main conventional semiconductor devices like, e.g., bipolar transistors and MOS capacitors and transistors, used in the production of the standard integrated circuits, and the corresponding physical models. In the subsequent chapters, the scaling issues of the semiconductor-device technology are addressed, followed by the description of novel concept-based semiconductor devices. The last section illustrates the numerical simulation methods ranging from the fabrication processes to the device performances. Each chapter is self-contained, and refers to related topics treated in other chapters when necessary, so that the reader interested in a specific subject can easily identify a personal reading path through the vast contents of the handbook.

Finding new materials for copper/low-k interconnects is critical to the continuing development of computer chips. While copper/low-k interconnects have served well, allowing for the creation of Ultra Large Scale Integration (ULSI) devices which combine over a billion transistors onto a single chip, the increased resistance and RC-delay at the smaller scale has become a significant factor affecting chip performance. Advanced Interconnects for ULSI Technology is dedicated to the materials and methods which might be suitable replacements. It covers a broad range of topics, from physical principles to design, fabrication, characterization, and application of new materials for nano-interconnects, and discusses: Interconnect functions, characterisations, electrical properties and wiring requirements Low-k materials: fundamentals, advances and mechanical properties Conductive layers and barriers Integration and reliability including mechanical reliability, electromigration and electrical breakdown New approaches including 3D, optical, wireless interchip, and carbon-based interconnects Intended for postgraduate students and researchers, in academia and industry, this book provides a critical overview of the enabling technology at the heart of the future development of computer chips.

This book provides a comprehensive introduction to embedded flash memory, describing the history, current status, and future projections for technology, circuits, and systems applications. The authors describe current main-stream embedded flash technologies from floating-gate 1Tr, floating-gate with split-gate (1.5Tr), and 1Tr/1.5Tr SONOS flash technologies and their successful creation of various applications. Comparisons of these embedded flash technologies and future projections are also provided. The authors demonstrate a variety of embedded applications for auto-motive, smart-IC cards, and low-power, representing the leading-edge technology developments for eFlash. The discussion also includes insights into future prospects of application-driven non-volatile memory technology in the era of smart advanced automotive system, such as ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) and IoE (Internet of Everything). Trials on technology convergence and future prospects of embedded non-volatile memory in the new memory hierarchy are also described. Introduces the history of embedded flash memory technology for micro-controller products and how embedded flash innovations developed; Includes comprehensive and detailed descriptions of current main-stream embedded flash memory technologies, sub-system designs and applications; Explains why embedded flash memory requirements are different from those of stand-alone flash memory and how to achieve specific goals with technology development and circuit designs; Describes a mature and stable floating-gate 1Tr cell technology imported from stand-alone flash memory products - that then introduces embedded-specific split-gate memory cell technologies based on floating-gate storage structure and charge-trapping SONOS technology and their eFlash sub-system designs; Describes automotive and smart-IC card applications requirements and achievements in advanced eFlash beyond 4 0nm node.

The book provides a comprehensive overview of electromigration and its effects on the reliability of electronic circuits. It introduces the physical process of electromigration, which gives the reader the requisite understanding and knowledge for adopting appropriate counter measures. A comprehensive set of options is presented for modifying the present IC design methodology to prevent electromigration. Finally, the authors show how specific effects can be exploited in present and future technologies to reduce electromigration’s negative impact on circuit reliability.

RRAM technology has made significant progress in the past decade as a competitive candidate for the next generation non-volatile memory (NVM). This lecture is a comprehensive tutorial of metal oxide-based RRAM technology from device fabrication to array architecture design. State-of-the-art RRAM device performances, characterization, and modeling techniques are summarized, and the design considerations of the RRAM integration to large-scale array with peripheral circuits are discussed. Chapter 2 introduces the RRAM device fabrication techniques and methods to eliminate the forming process, and will show its scalability down to sub-10 nm regime. Then the device performances such as programming speed, variability control, and multi-level operation are presented, and finally the reliability issues such as cycling endurance and data retention are discussed. Chapter 3 discusses the RRAM physical mechanism, and the materials characterization techniques to observe the conductive filaments and the electrical characterization techniques to study the electronic conduction processes. It also presents the numerical device modeling techniques for simulating the evolution of the conductive filaments as well as the compact device modeling techniques for circuit-level design. Chapter 4 discusses the two common RRAM array architectures for large-scale integration: one-transistor-one-resistor (1T1R) and cross-point architecture with selector. The write/read schemes are presented and the peripheral circuitry design considerations are discussed. Finally, a 3D integration approach is introduced for building ultra-high density RRAM array. Chapter 5 is a brief summary and will give an outlook for RRAM’s potential novel applications beyond the NVM applications.