MKS Instruments just released a new handbook that describes many of the basic design structures and processes for semiconductors. The first section has articles describing the basic transistor structures for the devices being built today including planar and 3D structures. It starts off with a discussion of the simple P-N junction and goes right up through the transistor technologies up to the cutting edge 3D FinFET structure. It has definitions of all of the common diode and transistors.

The handbook goes into the silicon, dielectric and interconnect materials used and their fabrication methods. It has a wealth of information of the process sequence from raw wafer to finished product.

The second section of the handbook includes vacuum technology; some vacuum basics, pump information, gauging and components. MKS has a wealth of vacuum metrology solutions and the majority are mentioned in the handbook. What is very helpful is that the articles show how all of the MKS technology solutions can be used together as subsystems within a larger system.

If you work in a section of the industry and would like to be introduced to other processes in the industry, then I would encourage you to check this out. It will give you a good encyclopedia level education in semiconductors as well as see all of the MKS technology solutions.

In other news, in case you missed it, the second edition of Understanding Modern Vacuum Technology is available. There is a discount available for readers of this blog.