Thin Film Technology (MS318)

SynopsisThin film is a basic building block in many engineering products. It is a generic term, which encompasses a wide range of thicknesses depending on its application. In this course, three main topics related to thin film technology will be covered, namely the fundamental concepts of thin film technology, the production of thin film and the integrity of thin film.

The course begins by expounding on the principles of nano- and micro-technology related to thin film. Additional concepts useful for understanding thin film technology such as surface energy, surface structure, surface kinetics and thermodynamics will be briefly introduced. The course will go on to discuss how these concepts are related to the production of thin film.

For thin film production, three processes will be covered i.e. thin film deposition, lithography and etching. The principles, technology and challenges of each process will be briefly discussed. Finally, the course will examine issues related to integrity of thin film such as internal stress and degradation mechanisms.

What You Will LearnUpon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Discuss the basic requirements of a thin film for a specific application.
• Relate concepts of surface energy, surface structure and process to the quality of a thin film.
• List down factors affecting the properties of a thin film.
• Differentiate between physical and chemical vapor deposition techniques.
• Recommend a suitable thin film deposition technique for a specific application.
• Describe detailed procedure of transferring and defining thin-film geometry on a substrate.
• State the challenges of lithography and etching processes.
• Explain degradation mechanisms of a thin film.
• Understand the origin of internal stress and techniques to reduce it.

Who Should Attend

• Technicians, engineers, and researchers
• Decision makers, policy makers, and managers

PrerequisiteBasic technical background or working experience in a science or engineering discipline.

Course MethodologyThis course is conducted in a seminar room. Each participant will receive a set of course materials.

Course Duration3 days, 9am - 5pm

Course StructureDay 1

• Introduction to thin film technology
• Fundamental of solid state and thin film technology
• Basic concept of vacuum science
• Contamination control
• Thin film deposition: Principle & Technology

1. Physical Vapor Deposition Techniques
2. Chemical Vapor Deposition Techniques

• Group activity

• Thin film deposition: Principle & Technology

1. Other Techniques

• Lithography: Principle & Technology

1. Geometry transfer concept
2. Geometry transfer process
3. Resolution enhancement technology
4. Advanced lithography

• Group activity

• Etching: Principle & Technology

1. Geometry defining concept
2. Geometry defining process
3. Challenges in etching technology

• Integrity of thin film

1. Internal stress of thin film
2. Degradation mechanisms in metallic thin film

• Overview of thin film analysis techniques
• Case studies