| In order to manufacture one of today's high performance integrated circuits (ICs), the process of polymer deposition is repeated up to 20 times. The continual push for higher performance devices and lower production costs leads to the necessity of better process control methods and, if possible, to new, improved processes.; An example of such a process, which yields high quality coatings, and, most importantly, is very economical with respect to the amount of expensive material wasted, is the extrusion coating process. The extrusion coater is a tool relatively new to material deposition in very thin layers. The relevant process variables along with the dynamic and steady state relationships among them have not been fully investigated. Moreover, there is no automated procedure to operate the coater. In this area of deficiency lies the opportunity for the work described herein. |
