Essential Electronic Design Automation (EDA)

Manufacturing Process

Pure silicon is grown from single crystals into long cylinders 6 -12 inches in diameter. Diamond saws then slice the cylinders into very thin wafers.

A process of masking, etching, and diffusing steps creates hundreds of identical ICs on each wafer. Precise ovens process batches of wafers at over 1,000 degrees centigrade.

Figure B.1 shows a simplified overview of the basic manufacturing process steps, which are listed below.

1.	Grow a pure crystalline silicon ingot
2.	Saw the ingot into wafers with a diamond saw
3.	Polish wafer and flatten one edge of the wafer for alignment
4.	Grow a protective layer of silicon dioxide (quartz glass) on the wafers
5.	Spin on a very thin film of light sensitive photoresist (resist)
6.	Expose ...