Surface processing in advanced microelectronic technology

Summary form only given. Provides an overview of key issues related to surface processing in silicon microelectronics technology. The objective is to underscore the fact that in future generation microelectronics manufacturing technologies ever increasing attention will be paid to the methods and tools used to process, control and characterize properties of the silicon surface. Specific approaches to silicon surface processing and characterization will be considered. To a significant degree the requirements concerning surface processing in silicon device technology apply to the manufacturing of devices using wide bandgap semiconductors (e.g. 2.5 eV). Among them two materials of greatest practical importance at this time are SiC and GaN. Some aspects of surface processing in SiC and GaN device fabrication will also be discussed.