9871290 Gangopadhyay The proposed equipment purchase will be a major part of a broad interdisciplinary research initiative at Texas Tech University (TTU), aimed at the fabrication and characterization of semiconductor materials. Within this larger research theme, the equipment will support work in two major focus areas-silicon processing and compound semiconductors-as well as in process modeling. The research effort in these areas at TTU is progressing with high levels of private sector partnership. Both graduate and undergraduate students are actively involved in this work. In addition to research, the equipment will be used for education and training of students in two graduate programs--the Master's Program with Internship (MSI) in the College of Arts and Sciences, and the Master's Program in Semiconductor Product Engineering (SPE) in the College of Engineering. The MSI program is an NSF-supported curriculum. The required nine to twelve months of internship are supported by major semiconductor manufacturers. The SPE program is entirely supported by major semiconductor companies. In this proposal the PIs request funding for one system. This system is a modem R&D cluster tool that will allow them to significantly improve and expand the range of etching and deposition processes needed in their research effort. The cluster tool consists of two electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma chambers, one for large area (6-8 inch wafers) deposition and the other for etching. This instrument is manufactured by PlasmaQuest. This company has been selected for a number of reasons. Their equipment suits our needs and their prices are very competitive. More importantly, PlasmaQuest products are used by our industrial collaborators at Texas Instruments and Raytheon. Compatibility of equipment is important in joint process development and the subsequent technology transfer. It is also important in our student-training activities, including industrial co-ops and mentoring. Finally, PlasmaQue st has an excellent reputation for developing various processes for microelectronics in collaboration with university and industry researchers, and is known for encouraging dissemination of the results. The equipment requested will have a major impact on research activities in Si and compound semiconductors. While the two research areas appear quite separate there are in fact a number of synergies. For instance, deposition of AIN on Si appears to be of interest both to the compound semiconductors and Si communities. Similarly, low damage etching of GaN would not he possible without the expertise developed in the etching of Si. While equipment sharing rises the possibility of cross-contamination, they believe both research areas will benefit. their modeling work is relevant to both semiconductor programs. The goal of this effort is to develop reliable numerical simulations of etching and deposition, which are then to be used in process analysis, design, and control. ***
