Inspection of a Mask and a Fabricated Wafer

Lab #1
Name: Chad OBrien
Day/Hour: Wednesday 09/02/2015 / 2:00 PM
3:30 PM
Lab Instructor: Dr. Gale Allen
Teaching Assistant: Sharath Chandra Theegulla
Course: EE 304 Solid State Devices

Electrical and Computer Engineering and

Technology
Minnesota State University

Report Summary:
In this lab a mask and fabricated wafer were looked at under a microscope to
identify several different devices on the wafer and identify and sort of processing
defects.

Body of Report:
1. Switch on all the controls of the microscope.
2. Examine the mask and locate various aspects of the mask such as
alignment, resolution marks, and etc.
3. Examine the fabricated wafer for various components and any sort of
manufacturing defects.

Figure 1.1: Test Probe Scratches

Defect Process

Figure 2.1: Alignment Marks

Figure 2.3: BJT

Figure 1.2:

Figure 2.2: Capacitor

Discussion:
After preforming this experiment, I have a better understanding of how the
wafers are produced and what types of things can go wrong with them. I understand
how the mask is used to help produce the wafer. Some things that can go wrong
during the fabrication process are such things like broken lines, twisted geometries,
and misalignment. When looking at the wafer and mask through the microscope I

could see plenty of defects such as scratches from being handled as shown in
figures 1.1 and 1.2 above. When comparing the handout received in the lab to the
actual wafer I was able to pick out different components on the wafer and get a
better understanding of how small they were and what they looked like. Some of the
components are shown above in figures 2.1 through 2.3.
Conclusion:
During this lab I was able to understand masks and fabricated wafers better.
If I were to do this lab again I would try to spend more time picking out the different
components of the fabricated wafer to get a better understanding of that.

References:
1. Notes and Handouts used from the lab of Dr. Allen Gales EE 304 Solid
State Devices Fall 2015, Minnesota State University, Mankato.