Like its celebrated predecessor, this Second Edition of VLSI Fabrication Principles adheres to the basic philosophy that there is a common core to the behavior and process technology of all semiconductor materials, and that looking at this subject from a unified point of view is the best way to stay up-to-date over the long term.

By presenting a unified treatment of both elemental and compound semiconductor technologies, and by emphasizing the underlying principles that govern their behavior, this book gives students and practicing professionals the tools with which to stay up-to-date with the rapid changes in VLSI fabrication technology.

All chapters have been modified and expanded to reflect a growing understanding of VLSI fabrication processes and shifts in the direction of process technology. The chapter on Epitaxy, for instance, has been greatly expanded and a new section added on molecular beam epitaxy, while the section on liquid phase epitaxy has been shortened because of its diminished role in process technology. New material on dry etching techniques has been incorporated in the chapter on Etching and Cleaning.

In some places, the order of presentation has been changed to fine-tune the book's effectiveness as a senior and graduate-level teaching text. Fabrication principles covered include those for such circuits as CMOS, BIPOLAR, BICMOS, FET, and more.

1. VLSI Fabrication Principles will equip students to cope, not only with state-of-the-art techniques, but with future developments as well. It will continue to be a valuable asset long after course work is done. For electrical engineers, physicists, and materials scientists, it will aid in understanding the limitations of fabrication processes used to make modern, solid-state and optoelectronic devices and circuits.