1
\$\begingroup\$

There's foundries with established processes which give you a process kit to simulate things like transistors etc.

But suppose someone wanted to develop a custom imaging sensor which requires particular doping and materials for the photo detector. How is this done?(Or is it done?)

\$\endgroup\$
5
  • 2
    \$\begingroup\$ You either build your own fab (many optoelectronics component companies do this) or you find a boutique fab that will modify their process to your specification. TSMC isn't messing around with imaging sensors. \$\endgroup\$
    – The Photon
    Commented Apr 25, 2022 at 1:47
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ Thanks, out of pure curiosity, what is the initial equipment investment to build a fab for this? Millions or much more? \$\endgroup\$
    – FourierFlux
    Commented Apr 25, 2022 at 2:59
  • \$\begingroup\$ Much more to bring up your own fab, although the exact order of magnitude depends on the node you wish to target. However, I know of at least one pure-play fab that will d custom process, as long as the money's there and you take full responsibility for crappy yields. (TSMC provides image sensor processes as claimed at tsmc.com/english/dedicatedFoundry/technology/specialty/cmos, but I don't know whether they meet your needs (or whether TSMC will likewise customize the process, given enough money and volume) \$\endgroup\$
    – nanofarad
    Commented Apr 25, 2022 at 3:20
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ @FourierFlux Having been involved in some aspects of FABs over the years (at Intel which designs, makes, and uses them and at Applied Materials which is an equipment supplier and with g-squared which made RTPs) and having built a small quartz chamber in my garage for testing, I can say that your equipment investment will highly depend on exactly what you intend on achieving. It can be cheap (quartz chamber, nickel plating, halogen lamp heating, garden hose water cooling, and "difficult to get" but cheap gases like arsine, phosphine and silane.) But it can be very dangerous when cheaply done!! \$\endgroup\$
    – jonk
    Commented Apr 25, 2022 at 6:06
  • 1
    \$\begingroup\$ @FourierFlux If you want to produce a specialized imaging sensor (for example, you want to use gold on the front-face to allow charge to be provided to "encourage" charges generated by short wavelength photons outside and short of the depletion region to move into the depletion region or you want to use laser-dyes for Stokes or anti-Stokes), then I'd recommend working with an existing company that may be helpful. Diodes, Inc., for example, has helped me in the past develop custom diode sensors. \$\endgroup\$
    – jonk
    Commented Apr 25, 2022 at 6:16

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1
\$\begingroup\$

My first suggestion would be to try and collaborate with a university. Some universities have a clean room and manufacturing equipment for prototypes or research. If you could find a professor or grad student who was interested in your project, you might get everything you need.

Another option is a prototype foundry like MOSIS.

The university I went to would use this service to fabricate the designs for their graduate level semiconductor courses. I am not sure how custom your design could be using MOSIS though because you typically share a wafer with other orders to reduce cost.

\$\endgroup\$
1
  • 2
    \$\begingroup\$ Also go here. \$\endgroup\$
    – jonk
    Commented Apr 25, 2022 at 6:12

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.