Lecture 3
Lecture 3
ELL732
Lecture 3
Dhiman Mallick
Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Delhi
1
Semester I – 2024 - 2025
Diamond Lattice
❖ The basic crystal structure for many important semiconductors is the fcc lattice with a basis of two atoms,
giving rise to the diamond structure, characteristic of Si, Ge, and C in the diamond form.
❖ In many compound semiconductors, atoms are arranged in a basic diamond structure, but are different
on alternating sites. This is called a zinc blende structure and is typical of the III–V compounds.
Portions of the diamond lattice: (a) bottom half and (b) top half.
Diamond Lattice
The diamond structure can be thought of as an fcc lattice with an extra atom placed at a/4 + b/4 +
c/4 from each of the fcc atoms.
Diamond lattice structure: (a) a unit cell of the diamond lattice constructed by
placing atoms 1/4, 1/4, 1/4 from each atom in an fcc; (b) top view of an extended
diamond lattice. The colored circles indicate one fcc sublattice and the black circles
indicate the interpenetrating fcc.
Zincblende Lattice
9
Anisotropic Etching
2ℎ
𝑊=𝑤+
tan(54.74𝑜)
KOH:
• High etch rate and anisotropy
• CMOS incompatibility
• Aggressive
• Difficult to find etching mask
Anisotropic wet etching of Silicon • LPCVD grown nitrides are preferred over
PECVD grown nitrides
EDP:
• CMOS compatible
• Relatively high etch rate
• SiO2, Si3N4, metals – mask material
• Very toxic, degrades quickly
TMAH:
• CMOS compatible
• Higher anisotropy than EDP 10
• Etch rate slower than KOH or EDP
Wafer Flats:
Purpose and Function
Primary Flat = The flat of longest length located in the circumference of the wafer. The
primary flat has a specified crystal orientation relative to the wafer surface; major flat.
Secondary Flat = Indicates the crystal orientation and doping of the wafer. The location of
this flat varies.