How engineers in 1954 expected a computer to
look like in 2004
Early electronic device
- the vacuum tube
Similar to a
incandescent
light bulb
Glass bulb
under vacuum
with a heated
filament and
collector grid
Operates at high temperature,
takes up a lot of space, fails
quickly, expensive to manufacturer
The vacuum tube evolved into
the solid state microelectronics
devices of today
• Solid state refers to the fact that the
devices are created in semiconductor
materials rather than assembled from
various components
• Solid state devices: operate much cooler
than a vacuum tube, size can be reduced
significantly, can last indefinitely, can be
manufactured cheaply
Vacuum tube to
microelectronics
• The first solid state devices were individual
components, diodes and transistors
• Multiple components were connected on
the same semiconductor material to form
simple integrated circuits
• Microelectronics was created when these
circuit components became microscopic
and a high density of components was
fabricated on each circuit
What is microelectronics?
• Microelectronics is a general term used to identify miniaturized
electronic devices and circuits
• Other terms used in conjunction with microelectronics devices are
solid state devices, semiconductor devices, computer chips, etc.
• Early microelectronic devices started as diodes and transistors
• Several transistors and passive components were combined into the
first integrated circuits or ICs
• Many integrated circuit functions were combined into the first
computer processors
• Processors evolved with more capability, faster calculations,
integrated drivers and additional functions on a single processor
• Today’s computer microprocessors can contain several million
transistors on an area about the size of one’s thumbnail
Microelectronics
•
•
•
•
Electronic material, usually silicon, is processed
in a “clean room” and miniature circuits are
created
These circuits are the brains of electronic
devices today
Processing capabilities are advancing rapidly,
allowing more and more circuitry in smaller and
smaller areas
Thus, smaller, cheaper, more capable
electronic devices are introduced continually
Silicon wafers used in
microelectronics
Through a series of high precision
processing steps in a clean room, circuits
are created on/in the silicon wafer
Once the processing is complete, the
individual circuits are cut from the host wafer
and mounted into an electronic package.
Silicon chip
(circuit)
Tiny wires connect
the circuit to the pins
on the package
40 pin Dual Inline plastic (DIP) package
Complex wire bonding to
multiple chips
Microprocessor Chip
Todays microprocessor chips do not use wires but microscopic
solder bumps to connect to the package. This allows for faster
cheaper manufacturing and faster processing speeds since the
wires cause delays in the signal
Computer Motherboard
Micro-photo of an older era IC (integrated
circuit) showing a small portion of the circuit
magnified many times
Simple wire bonds to an LED
(Light Emitting Diode)
The EE project will be
fabricated in the Cameron
Microelectronics clean room
What is a “clean room”
• A better name for a “clean room’
would be a “contamination control”
room
• The goal of a clean room is to
minimize the contamination that might
effect a product and to provide a
“clean” manufacturing environment
for the fabrication of products
• Clean rooms were originally exclusive
to microelectronics manufacturing
What
•
is a “clean room”
Today clean rooms are used in many industries and
applications
1. Microelectronics
2. Optoelectronics
3. Pharmaceuticals
4. Certain food packaging
5. CD and DVD manufacturing
6. Satellite assembly
7. Many other industries
•
Intel microprocessors have design rules that space
components 25 nm apart (.025 micron spacing)
•
Microprocessor chip can have 12 million transistors
• An Intel advanced microprocessor is about the size of
a thumb nail and many hundreds are produced
simultaneously on 12” (304mm) silicon wafers
In
microelectronics
size matters
The common unit
of measurement
in a clean room is
the micron or
micrometer
Simple Clean Room work area
ECE Clean Room in CAMERON
uses a membrane diffusion ceiling with
HEPA filters and through the wall returns
Gowning required to work in the ECE
Clean Room
Hood
Coverall
Face mask
Gloves- latex.
If you are
allergic to latex,
alternatives are
available
Boots
Next homework assignment
• HW 4 from the web site
• Write a one page report on “Bluetooth”
and “Wi-Fi” technology
• Be sure to include the frequency of
operation of “Bluetooth” and “Wi-Fi”
• Include the origins of “Bluetooth”
• Include at least two references
• Due next class meeting