Microelectronics Laboratory

Susan Earles, Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Director

This microelectronics facility is designed to be a teaching laboratory, as well as an advanced research laboratory. A microelectronics fabrication course is taught to graduate and undergraduate students. In this course, students complete, fabricate and test state-of-the-art integrated circuits. Research conducted in the facility includes advanced microelectronic packaging and processes for new metallization techniques and dielectrics.

The facility is a 3,800-sq.-ft. structure with all support services needed for modern semiconductor research, including a 3,000-sq.-ft. cleanroom, as well as areas dedicated to integrated-circuit testing and equipment maintenance. Equipment in the teaching laboratory includes photolithographic aligners, diffusion furnaces, a thin film evaporator, wet chemistry benches and significant measurement and inspection equipment. The advanced research laboratory presently features a scanning electron microscope, rapid thermal annealer, chemical vapor deposition, reliability test equipment and several lasers for teaching and research.