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Technology Stocks : Spectrum Signal Processing (SSPI) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Lhn5 who wrote (594)	2/7/1998 10:29:00 AM
From: Larry Brew	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 4400

Larry, << putting process technologies in perspective >> This should really dazzle you. The leading edge technology is 0.18 micron, not 18 micron. 1 micron = 10,000 angstroms, therefore .18u is only 1800 angstrom. To put all this in perspective, the visible light band from blue down to red, blue being near ultra-violet and red being near infra-red, both ends just outside visible light to the human eye is 4000 angstroms to 7000 angstroms respectively. As you can see we are dealing with transistors that have a source/ drain ( the active area of performance) distance less than the wavelength of light. Patterning these images onto silicon is like taking a picture. When the wavelength of light is larger than the space between patterns, a new world of processing and equipment is required. A couple solutions is 1)to use ultraviolet light well below the 4000a visible light range and 2) developing with use of x-rays. Hence the requirement for all new wafer fab equipment with state of the art techniques in all areas. Etching (removal of patterned material not wanted is being looked at by use of lasers. There are other techniques also. Vibration can be another problem, like moving a camera during a picture will cause a fuzzy result, so shall movement during wafer exposure. A truck driving down the street nearby can cause movement. Now we face vibration in building structures themselves as a problem. All solvable but mindboggling to say the least. Something to digest that should enlighten new scientific roadblocks being solved every day. Single electron emission is even in the works. Awesome, to say the least! Larry