Microelectronic Engineering
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Santosh K. Kurinec, Head
Semiconductor microelectronics technology remains important for the world economy. The semiconductor industry is U.S. manufacturing’s star performer. Fostering a vigorous semiconductor industry in our country is important for the nation’s economic growth, long-term security, and the preparation and maintenance of a capable high-tech workforce. The Kate Gleason College of Engineering developed the first bachelor of science degree program in microelectronic engineering, and the college continues to provide highly educated and skilled engineers current in knowledge for the semiconductor industry.
Educational objectives
In order to meet the needs of all constituents (students, graduate schools, faculty, and the semiconductor industry), the educational objectives of the microelectronic engineering program are to produce graduates who have the following skills or characteristics:
- A sound knowledge of the fundamental scientific principles involved in the operation, design, and fabrication of integrated circuits
- A comprehensive understanding of relevant technologies such as integrated circuit process integration and manufacturing, including microlithography, and the application of engineering principles to the design and development of current and future semiconductor technologies
- A professional approach to problem solving, using analytical, academic, and communication skills effectively, with special emphasis on working in teams
- An enthusiasm for learning and the continuous improvement of skills throughout one's career by learning about emerging technologies and adapting to and accepting change within the field
- A desire to achieve leadership positions in industry or academia
- A breadth of knowledge, including the multidisciplinary nature of microelectronic engineering, as well as the broad social, ethical, safety, and environmental issues within which engineering is practiced
Program
One of the great challenges in integrated circuit manufacturing is the need to draw on scientific principles and engineering developments from such an extraordinarily wide range of disciplines. The design of microelectronic circuits requires a sound knowledge of electronics and circuit analysis. Optical lithography tools, which print microscopic patterns on wafers, represent one of the most advanced applications of the principles of Fourier optics. Plasma etching involves some of the most complex chemistries used in manufacturing today. Ion implantation draws upon understanding from research in high-energy physics. Thin films on semiconductor surfaces exhibit complex mechanical and electrical behavior that stretches our understanding of basic materials properties.
Scientists and engineers who work in the semiconductor field need a broad understanding and the ability to seek out, integrate, and use ideas from many disciplines. This ABET-accredited, five-year program provides the broad interdisciplinary background in electrical and computer engineering, solid-state electronics, physics, chemistry, materials science, optics, and applied math and statistics necessary for success in the semiconductor industry.
The curriculum begins with introductory courses in microelectronic engineering and microlithography (micropatterning) for integrated circuits. The first two years of the program build a solid foundation in mathematics, physics, and chemistry. The fundamentals of statistics and their applications in the design of experiments, semiconductor device physics and operation, and integrated circuit technology are covered in the second year. This prepares students for their first cooperative education experience. The third year constitutes the electrical engineering course work necessary for understanding semiconductor devices and integrated circuits. The fourth and fifth years are dedicated to VLSI design, optics, microlithography systems and materials, semiconductor processing, professional electives, and a two-quarter capstone senior project. In the capstone course, students propose and conduct individual research/design projects and present their work at the Annual Microelectronic Engineering Conference, which is organized by the department and well-attended by industrial representatives.
A choice of professional electives and the senior project offer students an opportunity to build a concentration within this unique interdisciplinary program, such as advanced CMOS, VLSI chip design, analog circuit design, electronic materials science, microelectromechanical devices, or nanotechnology. Three free elective courses are built into the program to allow students to take a minor program in any other discipline.
Computing skills are necessary to design, model, simulate, and predict processes and device behavior that are extremely vital to manufacturing. A comprehensive knowledge of statistics is required to manipulate data and process control. As the devices are shrinking in size, approaching nanoscale regime where molecular and atomic scale phenomena come into play, elements of quantum mechanics become important.
Important issues such as the technology road map, ethics, societal impact, and global perspectives are built into the program beginning with first-year courses. The program is laid out in a way that keeps students connected with their home department throughout the course of study.
Students gain hands-on experience in the design, fabrication, and testing of integrated circuits (microchips), the vital component in almost every advanced electronic product manufactured today. RIT’s undergraduate microelectronics engineering laboratories, which include modern integrated circuit fabrication (clean room) and test facilities, are the best in the nation. At present, the program is supported by a complete complementary metal oxide semiconductor line equipped with diffusion; ion implantation; plasma; and chemical vapor deposition, CVD, processes; chemical mechanical planarization; and device design, modeling, and test laboratories. The microlithography facilities include ASML deep UV, Canon i-line, GCA g-line wafer steppers, and Perkin Elmer MEBES III electron beam mask writer.
Students participate in the required co-op portion of the program after completing their second year of study. Microelectronic engineering co-op students work for many of the major integrated circuits manufacturers across the United States. Upon graduation, students are well prepared to enter the industry or pursue advanced study in graduate school. This program also prepares students to work in emerging technologies such as nanotechnology, microelectromechanical devices, and microsystems.
With the worldwide semiconductor industry growing at an astounding pace, RIT graduates are a valuable resource to the industry. This program offers students an unparalleled opportunity to prepare for professional challenges and success in one of the leading modern areas of engineering. Faculty committed to quality engineering education, state-of-the-art laboratories, strong industrial support, co-op opportunities with national companies, and smaller class sizes make this one of the most value-added programs in the nation.
Microelectronic engineering, BS degree, typical course sequence ** |
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| Qtr. Cr. Hrs. | ||
First Year |
Introduction to Microelectronics 0305-201 | 4 |
| Introduction to Micro/Nano Lithography 0305-221 | 4 | |
| College Chemistry I 1011-208 | 4 | |
| Calculus I, II, III 1016-281, 282, 283 | 12 | |
| University Physics I, II 1017-311, 312 | 8 | |
| Introduction to Digital Systems 0301-240 | 4 | |
| Liberal Arts* | 12 | |
| Wellness Education† | 0 | |
| First-Year Enrichment 1105-051, 052 | 2 | |
Second Year |
Multivariable Calculus 1016-305 | 4 |
| Differential Equations 1016-306 | 4 | |
| Engineering Mathematics 1016-328 | 4 | |
| University Physics III 1017-313 | 4 | |
| Modern Physics 1017-314 | 4 | |
| Introduction to Programming 4002-208 | 4 | |
| Semiconductor Devices I 0305-460 | 4 | |
| Statistics for Engineers 0307-315 | 4 | |
| Design of Experiments 0305-320 | 4 | |
| Integrated Circuit Technology 0305-350 | 4 | |
| Circuits 0301-381 | 4 | |
| Free Elective | 4 | |
| Wellness Education† | 0 | |
Third Year |
Circuit Analysis II 0301-382 | 4 |
| Principles of Electromagnetic Fields 0305-515 | 4 | |
| Free Elective | 4 | |
| Electronics I, II with Labs 0301-481, 482 | 8 | |
| Semiconductor Devices II 0305-560 | 4 | |
| Liberal Arts* | 8 | |
| Cooperative Education (2 quarters) | Co-op | |
Fourth Year |
Optics for Microelectronics 0305-525 | 4 |
| Silicon Processes 0305-632 | 4 | |
| Microlithography Systems with Lab 0305-563, 573 | 4 | |
| VLSI Design 0305-520 | 4 | |
| Thin Film Processes 0305-643 | 4 | |
| Linear Systems 0301-453 | 4 | |
| Liberal Arts* | 8 | |
| Cooperative Education (2 quarters) | Co-op | |
Fifth Year |
CMOS Processing Lab 0305-650 | 4 |
| Microlithography Materials and Processes with Lab 0305-666, 676 | 4 | |
| Senior Design Project I, II 0305-681, 691 | 6 | |
| Two Professional Electives | 8 | |
| Free Elective | 4 | |
| Liberal Arts * | 8 | |
| Cooperative Education (1 quarter) | Co-op | |
| Total Quarter Credit Hours | 196 | |
*Please see Liberal Arts General Education Requirements for more information. †Please see Wellness Education Requirement for more information. **For suggested quarterly schedule, consult with your academic adviser. |
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Two alternative cooperative education plans for the microelectronic engineering program
| Year | Fall | Winter | Spring | Summer |
| 1 | RIT | RIT | RIT | — |
| 2 | RIT | RIT | RIT | Vacation |
| 3 | Co-op | RIT | RIT | Co-op |
| 4 | Co-op | RIT | RIT | Co-op |
| 5 | Co-op | RIT | RIT | — |
| Year | Fall | Winter | Spring | Summer |
| 1 | RIT | RIT | RIT | — |
| 2 | RIT | RIT | RIT | Vacation |
| 3 | RIT | Co-op | Co-op | RIT |
| 4 | RIT | Co-op | Co-op | RIT |
| 5 | Co-op/ RIT |
RIT | RIT | — |
Professional electives (partial list)
0305-704
Semiconductor Process and Device Modeling
0305-705
Quantum and Solid State Physics for Nanostructures
0305-706
SiGe and SOI Devices and Technology
0305-707
Nanoscale CMOS and Beyond
0305-714
Micro/Nano Characterization
0305-732
Microelectronics Manufacturing II
0305-830
Metrology for Yield and Failure Analysis
0306-561
Digital System Design
0306-631
Advanced VLSI Design
0301-726
Analog IC Design
0301-730
Advanced Analog IC Design
0305-870
Microelectromechanical Systems
Graduate-level courses from other related engineering, mathematics, or science disciplines may be used as professional electives with the permission of the academic adviser and course instructor. (See the Graduate Bulletin for descriptions.)
Accelerated dual degree option
A cross-disciplinary dual degree BS/MS degree option between two colleges is available in the microelectronic engineering program. Students may work to earn a BS in microelectronic engineering from the Kate Gleason College of Engineering and an MS in materials science and engineering from the College of Science.
This unique program was inspired by trends involving convergence of advanced materials with nanofabrication and microelectronics in modern microdevices and systems. The five-year option requires the successful completion of 225 credits, with a minimum of 45 graduate course credits and a graduate thesis. One co-op quarter is substituted for the graduate course work to make it an accelerated five-year option requiring a minimum of 13 quarters of academic course work. A student may apply for admission to this option in the fall quarter of the third year with a grade point average of at least 3.0 at the end of the previous quarter.
Microelectronic engineering materials science and engineering, BS/MS option, typical course sequence** |
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| Qtr. Cr. Hrs. | ||
First Year |
Same as BS (Microelectronic Engineering) | 52 |
Second Year |
Same as BS (Microelectronic Engineering) | 49 |
Third Year |
Same as BS (Microelectronic Engineering) | 32 |
Fourth Year |
Optics for Microelectronics 0305-525 | 4 |
| Microlithography Systems and Lab 0305-563, 573 | 4 | |
| Silicon Processes 0305-632 | 4 | |
| Thin Film Processes 0305-703 | 4 | |
| VLSI Design 0305-520 | 4 | |
| Free Elective | 4 | |
| Liberal Arts* | 8 | |
| Cooperative Education (1 quarter) | Co-op | |
| Introduction to Materials Science 1028-701 | 4 | |
| Introduction to Theoretical Methods 1028-704 | 4 | |
| Introduction to Experimental Techniques 1028-705 | 4 | |
| MSE Graduate Elective | 4 | |
Fifth Year |
CMOS Processing Lab 0305-650 | 4 |
| Microlithography Materials and Processes with Lab 0305-666 , 721 | 3 | |
| Senior Design Project I, II 0305-381, 691 | 6 | |
| Free Elective | 4 | |
| Liberal Arts* | 8 | |
| Solid State Science 1028-703 | 4 | |
| Introduction to Polymer Science 1028-702 | 4 | |
| MSE Graduate Elective | 4 | |
| MSE Research 1028-879 | 8 | |
| MSE Seminar/Defense 1028-890 | 1 | |
| Total Quarter Credit Hours | 225 | |
* Please see Liberal Arts General Education Requirements
for more information. |
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