纳米颗粒在半导体应用中的进展和意义——综述

ABSTRACT  

This review paper gives an overview of recent developments in nanoparticle research and semiconductor industry applications. Nanoparticles have become useful building blocks for a variety of semiconductor devices and  processes. Quantum dot technology, thin-film deposition, chemical mechanical planarization, and semiconductor  nanocrystals are some of the main fields where nanoparticles have made significant strides. It highlights the  special traits and skills of nanoparticles that allow for novel functionalities and enhanced efficiency in semiconductors. Nanoparticles are extremely important in the production of semiconductors because of their special  characteristics and uses such as copper, gold, silver, etc. These nanoparticles are crucial for developing semiconductor technology because they provide improved thermal stability, increased conductivity, and compatibility with current fabrication methods. Their incorporation into semiconductor manufacturing procedures aids  in the creation of high-performance hardware, and the execution of novel applications. This review paper also  recognizes the difficulties in synthesizing, integrating, and taking safety precautions with nanoparticles. This  paper emphasizes the need for more research and development to get around current obstacles and guarantee  their successful implementation while recognizing the promising role that nanoparticles will play in determining  the future of semiconductor applications.

1. Introduction  

At the nanoscale, which pertains to the atomic or molecular level,  materials are purposefully designed and engineered in the realm of  nanotechnology. This field allows for the development of innovative  materials, tools, and systems that exhibit enhanced capabilities due to  their manipulation of structures and particles at an extremely minute  scale. A nanoparticle is defined as a structure that experiences  confinement in all three dimensions: x, y, and z. Conversely, when a  structure is confined to only two dimensions, it takes the form of a  nanowire or nanorod. Although a thin film has the ability to stretch over  long distances in the x and y directions, its confinement remains limited  to the z-direction. When it comes to analysis and characterization,  particles are commonly treated as spheres or rods, despite their crystalline structure often leading to multifaceted shapes. Classification of structures can be based on the number of dimensions in which their size  is restricted. It could revolutionize a number of fields, including  environmental science, electronics, medicine, and energy, providing  answers to urgent problems and creating new opportunities for scientific  research and technological development.

Semiconductors are substances with characteristics halfway between  conductivity and insulativity. As the basis for semiconductor devices like transistors, diodes, and integrated circuits, they are essential to  modern electronics. Semiconductors are crucial for the manipulation  and processing of information in electronic devices because they have  the capacity to control the flow of electrical current. The electrical  conductivity of semiconductors can be changed by doping them with  impurities, which enables the development of sophisticated electronic  components that power the modern digital world we live in Ref..  Table 1 presents a summary of the characteristics exhibited by semiconductors.

Table 1  Material properties of semiconductors

The goal of this review paper is to provide an overview of recent  advancements in nanoparticle research and their applications in the  semiconductor industry. The first part highlights the significance of  nanoparticles as building blocks in various semiconductor devices and  processes. The second part emphasizes the unique properties of nanoparticles that enable the introduction of novel functionalities and  improved efficiency in semiconductors applications. The third part  discussed the manufacturing processes of semiconductors in industrial  level. The fourth and fifth parts analyzed NPs uses in semiconductors  and semiconductors productions respectively. In final part, this paper acknowledges the challenges in synthesizing, integrating, and ensuring  safety with nanoparticles. In conclusion, we need further research and  development to overcome these obstacles and ensure successful implementation, recognizing the promising role of nanoparticles to shape the  future of semiconductors applications.

2. Importance of semiconductor  

Gadgets such as mobile phones, radios, televisions, computers, video  games, and medical diagnostic apparatus, which are a vital aspect of our  lives, rely on semiconductors for their functioning. Without semiconductors, these electronic devices would not be possible. Semiconductor lasers with delayed feedback have proven to be well-suited  for solving challenging and time-consuming tasks in photonic reservoir  computing. In this technique, the reservoir is frequently optically  injected with the input data. Semiconductor helps electronics work  by controlling the flow of electricity. In telecommunications equipment  and systems, network and communication chips are semiconductor integrated circuits (IC). A variety of technologies are utilized in  networking and communications chips, with a semiconductor material  serving as the vital link between the conductor and the insulator. This  material plays a crucial role in controlling and directing the flow of  electricity within electronic devices and equipment. Consequently, it  finds extensive application in electronic chips used for solid-state storage, computing components, and various other electronic devices.  As AI and machine learning enter and develop inside the banking industry, semiconductor chips assist banks even more. This wasn’t a primary concern in the past because most attacks used software that was  vulnerable to remote hacking.

An LED, an acronym for light-emitting diode, operates as a semiconductor that facilitates the flow of electric current in a single direction. It is designed as a p-n junction diode, as depicted in Fig. 1, with an  abundance of electrons residing in the n-type atoms and electron holes  present in the p-type atoms. When an electric current is applied, it  pushes the atoms towards the junction, causing the n-type and p-type  atoms to come close together. Consequently, the excess electrons from  the n-type atoms are transferred or “donated” to the p-type atoms,  resulting in the accumulation of negative charge on the n-side. This  accumulation initiates a current that moves from the negatively charged  region to the positively charged region, known as “forward bias.” At the  same time, as the extra electrons from the n-type material pass through  the holes in the p-type material, they release energy in the form of light,  known as photons. LEDs demonstrate significant distinctions when  compared to conventional light sources such a lamps, neon lamps, and  gas discharge lamps. They possess the ability to illuminate swiftly,  making them advantageous for battery-operated or energy-efficient  devices. Moreover, LEDs generate a greater amount of light per Watt  in comparison to incandescent bulbs  (see Fig. 2).

Fig. 1. A circuit diagram of semiconductor chip

Fig. 2. Photocatalytic reaction mechanism

4. Semiconductor manufacturing process  

One of the biggest industries in the world now is the electronics  sector. The production of integrated circuits is a crucial component of  this sector. On silicon wafers, integrated circuits are manufactured in the  semiconductor industry. Historically, cost-cutting measures have  included shrinking chip size, expanding wafer size, and raising yield  while also attempting to enhance operating procedures inside semiconductor manufacturing systems . Integrated circuit (IC) usage  has been rising quickly and will probably keep doing so in the near  future. As a result, the production of semiconductors remains a hot topic  in the world of manufacturing.

Wafer lithography

A lithographymethod for processing a semiconductor wafer is provided. The method involves the following steps: extracting liquid from  the wafer’s surface, eliminating a part of the oxide film from the wafer’s  surface, and introducing an oxidizing gas. Notably, the oxidizing gas  flow and/or the surrounding gas affected by the oxidizing gas possess an  unsaturated vapor pressure of the liquid, resulting in the vaporization of  the liquid present on the surface. The creation of wafers, which  are mostly constructed from silicon substrates, is the first step in the  fabrication of semiconductors. The successful creation of VLSI products,  particularly processor chips, relies heavily on the impeccable chemical  purity and nearly flawless crystalline characteristics of wafers. The  production of silicon wafers involves a multitude of intricate stages,  such as refining raw materials, growing silicon ingots, peripheral  grinding, slicing the ingots into wafers, beveling, lapping and etching,  heat treatment, polishing, thorough cleaning with ultra-pure water, inspection, packaging, and finally, shipping. As a result, the entire process  has become progressively more intricate and sophisticated. The  general semiconductor wafer fabrication process flow is depicted in  Fig. 3 . Once the wafer fabrication process is complete, the wafers  undergo a probe test to examine their electrical distributions and yield  before being forwarded for assembly and final testing (see  Fig. 4).  

Fig. 3. Process flow for semiconductor wafer fabrication

Fig. 4. Cupric Oxide nanowires form on a Cu substrate via thermal oxidation and this growth can be depicted schematically

Etching  

Etching, a critically important step, is involved in the removal of  material and plays a vital role in the overall manufacturing process (see  Fig. 5) . A highly regulated layer-by-layer material removal procedure is called atomic layer etching. The semiconductor industry has been fabricating electronic circuits since the 1970s using a  pattern-transfer methodology that is very similar to the early art form.  The patterns are only now 100,000 times smaller thanks to a wafer fab  equipment market worth well over $40 billion annually. With today’s  technology, we may deposit different thin films in place of beeswax, use  ultraviolet light to print patterns rather than needles that can be held in  the hand, and use plasma to etch into the target material as opposed to  an acid bath. With modern plasma sources and control systems, plasma  etch has improved greatly during the last 40 years.

Fig. 5. The etching process for wafer fabrication

5. Conclusion  

The use of nanoparticles in semiconductor applications has advanced  the field significantly and created new opportunities. With their ability  to enable precise control and improved performance, nanoparticles have  proven valuable in a number of crucial processes, including chemical  mechanical planarization, thin-film deposition, and semiconductor  nanocrystals. With their tunable bandgaps and size-dependent emission,  quantum dots have completely changed optoelectronic devices and  display technologies. To fully realize the potential of nanoparticles in  semiconductors, however, issues like synthesis control, integration,  dependability, and safety must be resolved. In order to overcome these  difficulties and guarantee the successful incorporation of nanoparticles  into upcoming semiconductor technologies, ongoing research and  development efforts are essential. The continued development and  application of nanoparticles in semiconductor applications holds great  promise for the future, spurring innovation and reshaping the electronic  industry.