Modern electronic devices have become incredibly small and powerful, with millions or even billions of tiny components packed into a space no larger than a fingernail. As these components shrink, even microscopic dust particles—far too small to see—can interfere with how a device works. A single speck of dust, floating in the air or shed from the human body, can damage delicate structures and cause defects in a device. For this reason, maintaining an extremely clean environment during manufacturing is essential.
The UA cleanroom is located in the North Engineering Research Center (NERC), enabling research and teaching related to microelectronic materials and device fabrication. The facility spans 7,000 square feet and consists of three Class 100/Class 1000 rooms along with supporting areas. Cleanliness is classified by the number of submicron particles per cubic foot of air. No more than 100 or 1,000 particles larger than 0.5 μm are permitted in Class 100 or Class 1000 cleanrooms, respectively, compared with up to one million such particles in typical ambient conditions.
The facility is divided into three sections (bays), where processes are separated based on cleanliness requirements, lighting conditions, and chemical and gas usage, in order to minimize
interference and cross-contamination.
- Lithography Bay uses orange lighting to minimize photochemical effects during processing. It also maintains the lowest particle levels because this step defines the device patterns; any defects in shape or size may be transferred or even amplified in subsequent processing steps.
- Etch Bay uses a variety of process gases, many of which are highly reactive or corrosive, to remove materials such as silicon, metals, oxides, and nitrides. Dedicated gas lines are used, and exhaust from the etch bay is carefully monitored and controlled.
- Deposition Bay is where materials are added to substrates. Various material precursors are used in this section, including metal targets, evaporation crucibles, and gaseous chemicals. Many deposition processes operate under vacuum, allowing materials to be deposited atom by atom to create extremely smooth and uniform thin films.
The facility is student-centered, and the equipment is primarily operated by students. Our staff and technical experts look forward to working with you to support your research and learning goals.