Micro-reaction engineering applications of reaction engineering to processing of electronic and photonic materials

Abstract

Processing of electronic materials for electronic and opto-electronic devices combines a facinating variety of physical transport processes and chemical reactions that raise new challenges to chemical reaction engineering. These are reviewed along with recent examples of applications of chemical reaction engineering to microelectronic processing. Chemical vapor deposition and plasma processing of thin films are emphasized as areas where chemical reaction engineering could have a significant impact. Other thin film processes, e.g. physical vapor deposition and oxidation, are surveyed briefly. Bulk crystal growth analysis is included to demonstrate recent advances in detailed modelling of physical transport processes of interest to reactor modelling. Finally, common challenges, including micro/macroscopic modelling, large scale computing and fundamental physicochemical phenomena are discussed.