Iyini i-wafer ye-semiconductor?

I-wafer ye-semiconductor ucezu oluncane oluyindilinga lwe-semiconductor olusebenza njengesisekelo sokwenziwa kwamasekhethi ahlanganisiwe (ama-IC) nezinye izinto zikagesi. I-wafer inikeza indawo eyisicaba futhi efanayo lapho kwakhiwe khona izingxenye ezihlukahlukene ze-elekthronikhi.

Inqubo yokukhiqiza iwafa ibandakanya izinyathelo ezimbalwa, okuhlanganisa ukukhulisa ikristalu eyodwa enkulu yezinto ezifiswayo ze-semiconductor, ukusika ikristalu ibe amawafa amancane kusetshenziswa isaha ledayimane, bese ukupholishwa nokuhlanza amawafa ukuze kususwe noma yikuphi ukonakala okungaphezulu noma ukungcola. Ama-wafers avelayo anendawo eyisicaba futhi ebushelelezi, okubalulekile ezinqubweni zokwenziwa ezilandelayo.

Uma ama-wafer eselungisiwe, angena uchungechunge lwezinqubo zokukhiqiza ama-semiconductor, njenge-photolithography, i-etching, deposition, kanye ne-doping, ukudala amaphethini ayinkimbinkimbi nezingqimba ezidingekayo ukuze kwakhiwe izingxenye ze-elekthronikhi. Lezi zinqubo ziphindaphindiwe izikhathi eziningi ku-wafer eyodwa ukuze kwakhiwe amasekhethi amaningi ahlanganisiwe noma amanye amadivaysi.

Ngemuva kokuthi inqubo yokwenziwa isiqediwe, ama-chips ngamanye ahlukaniswa ngokudayela i-wafer emigqeni echazwe ngaphambilini. Ama-chips ahlukanisiwe abe esepakishwa ukuze awavikele futhi ahlinzeke ngokuxhunywa kukagesi ukuze ahlanganiswe emishinini kagesi.