ABSTRACT
The crystal orientation is set by a seed crystal and the doping concentration is accomplished either by starting with a doped polysilicon rod or by adding the dopant gas to the inert gas during the float-zone process. This chapter summarizes various fabrication methods which are used for both silicon-based integrated circuits (IC) and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) fabrications. It also summarizes silicon wafer manufacturing and the common microfabrication methods which are employed for silicon-based ICs and MEMS fabrication. In the thermal oxidation process, silicon dioxide is grown by exposing the silicon wafer to oxygen or water vapor at high temperature and therefore the process is referred to as thermal oxidation. Photolithography is a process of transferring a geometric pattern from a photomask to a thin layer of radiation-sensitive material covering the surface of the substrate. In the microfabrication process, local oxidation of silicon is a technique to grow the silicon dioxide layer on selected areas on a silicon wafer.
