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This silicon disk is being treated with photoresist to prepare it for lithography, a process that allows circuitry to be printed on the surfaces of the chips. Photo by Jim Collins.

The manufacture of semiconductor devices generally involves four basic processing steps:

• Deposition of key active materials onto the underlying silicon wafer;
• Selective removal of unwanted materials;
• Lithography to create the desired connections and circuits; and
• Modification of electrical properties.

Many common chemical engineering concepts are used throughout the manufacturing process. The successful growth of silicon ingots requires an understanding of fluid mechanics, heat and mass transfer, and crystallization. During the deposition process a knowledge of kinetics is also necessary.

It is critical to the manufacturing process that the process be carried out in an ultra clean atmosphere.