Brief description of the organization
MicroAlchemy is a semiconductor manufacturing company that is also distributing electronic design automation (EDA/CAD) tools. We are a manufacturing company that is focused on chip prototyping and open source tooling.
Problem area
Metal interconnects and contacts are a key aspect of semiconductor manufacturing. A variety of techniques are used for metal deposition on silicon wafers.
Main objectives
The main objective is to develop a metal deposition tool to deposit Copper or Aluminum across a 100mm silicon wafer in a uniform layer. Key performance metrics would be a well-characterized process to determine deposition thickness and uniformity over the wafer and conductance/resistance.
Scope of work
- Literature review of deposition techniques e.g. hackerfab.
- Planning of the electrical and mechanical portions. Building a prototype of the metal deposition tool.
- Characterization of the results using the prototype.
Deliverables
- Report
- Presentation
- New protocols/processes
Team meeting frequency
Weekly
Skills and training required
- Research and analytical skills
- Presentation skills
- Electrical and mechanical prototyping skills
- Metrology and characterization techniques.
Resources required
- Some specialized tools/equipment, e.g. SEM (will be provided at our office under our supervision).
- Prototyping tools like breadboarding/solder/perfboard.
- Other mechanical or electrical equipment is available in school labs or our office.
NDA or a commercialization agreement for this project?
Yes