Preparing the workforce for semiconductor/VLSI industry for the 21st century at UMASS Lowell

Summary form only given. In order to provide consummate instructions in the field of Semiconductors/VLSI, a series of courses were developed within the department. The courses embrace the fields of chip design and fabrication, including semiconductor theory along with details of processing techniques. The model, which acclaimed wide support of educators and field engineers, delineates five steps in the hierarchical order: (1) Fundamentals, (2) Materials, (3) Devices, (4) Circuits, and (5) Systems. In order to succeed in this discipline, therefore, one has to master all four steps in sequence before system integration as depicted diagrammically. For developing the appropriate workforce of the 21st Century for semiconductor industry, the VLSI Design and Fabrication Laboratories were established along with integration of the curricula. Distributed Semiconductor Instructional processing laboratory (DSIPL) was established in 1986, as a result of the proposal submitted to Massachusetts Microelectronics Center (M2C) by the author in 1984. After dissemination of M2C, this clean room facility is being supported by many industries. However, for equipping the workforce for Semiconductor/VLSI industry adequately, the following four state-of-the-art laboratories are needed. (1) chip design lab, (2) mask fabrication lab, (3) wafer processing lab, and (4) die packaging lab. The DSIPL usage has already been extended to Middlesex and Mass Bay Community colleges. Under a research grant, students from Alabama A&M University will receive theoretical instructions of practical training. A proposal is underway to the NSF for funding, wherein a laboratory will be established at Alabama A&M, and another at UMASS Lowell, which will be shared jointly. This will provide us with a consummate theoretical and practical framework for preparing the workforce for the semiconductor/VLSI industries not only regionally, nationally but internationally also