The chip production process is complex and precise, primarily involving the following steps:

Chip Design

Requirement Analysis and Architecture Design: Define the chip's function, performance, and power consumption requirements, and design the overall chip architecture. This involves determining which modules the chip will include, such as processor cores, storage units, communication interfaces, etc., and their interconnections.

Circuit Design and Logic Design: Using professional Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools, conduct detailed circuit and logic design, including transistor-level circuit diagrams, and determine the signal transmission, processing, and storage methods to achieve the chip's functions.

Physical Design: Transform the logic design into a physical layout, determining the specific positions, shapes, and sizes of each component on the chip, as well as their interconnections. Physical factors like chip area, power consumption, and heat dissipation are also considered to optimize the chip's performance and reliability.

Wafer Manufacturing

Material Preparation: The base material for chip manufacturing is high-purity single crystal silicon, usually extracted from quartz sand and purified through multiple steps to reach a purity higher than 99.9999%. The purified silicon is then processed into silicon rods, which are sliced into thin wafers. Wafer diameters typically range from 2 inches, 4 inches, 6 inches, 8 inches, to 12 inches.

Photolithography: Photolithography is one of the core processes in chip manufacturing. A layer of photoresist is applied to the wafer surface, and then a photolithography machine is used to project the design’s circuit pattern onto the photoresist layer, which undergoes a chemical reaction under light exposure. The wafer is then developed and etched to transfer the circuit pattern onto the wafer.

Etching: Etching is used to remove unwanted materials from the wafer surface to form precise circuit patterns. There are two types of etching: wet etching, using chemical solutions, and dry etching, using plasma or gas. Etching further refines and sharpens the patterns formed by photolithography, creating tiny electronic components such as transistors, capacitors, and resistors.

Doping: Through ion implantation or diffusion, elements such as phosphorus or boron are introduced into the silicon to alter its electrical conductivity, creating n-type and p-type semiconductors. This is crucial for building transistors and other essential components. The concentration and depth of doping must be precisely controlled to ensure chip performance and reliability.

Insulating Layer Deposition: Techniques like Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) or Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) are used to deposit an insulating material, such as silicon dioxide or silicon nitride, on the wafer surface. The insulating layer prevents short circuits between different circuits and ensures efficient signal transmission.

Metallization: Metals like aluminum and copper are deposited onto the wafer through methods like evaporation or sputtering to form conductive layers. These metal layers are used to connect the circuit components, creating a complete circuit system. Afterward, photolithography and etching are used to define the required circuit patterns in the metal layer.

Chip Packaging

Dicing: The completed wafer is diced into individual chips, typically using diamond tools or laser cutting technology. The cutting process must be highly precise to ensure each chip’s size and performance meet the requirements.

Die Attach: The diced chips are attached to a packaging substrate, typically using silver paste or epoxy resin, ensuring proper electrical connection and mechanical fixation between the chip and the substrate.

Wire Bonding: Metal wires, such as gold or aluminum, are used to connect the pins on the chip to those on the packaging substrate, establishing electrical connections between the chip and external circuits. The quality of the bonding directly impacts the chip’s performance and reliability.

Encapsulation: After wire bonding, the chip and substrate are placed in a mold, and packaging materials such as plastic, ceramics, or metals are injected to form the final package. The packaging protects the chip from external environmental factors like mechanical vibrations, humidity, and temperature.

Chip Testing

Wafer Testing: After wafer manufacturing, each chip on the wafer undergoes an initial test, typically using Automated Test Equipment (ATE) to check the chip’s functionality, performance, and electrical properties. Chips that fail to meet standards are marked and discarded during the wafer stage, reducing costs.

Final Testing: After the chip is packaged, it undergoes comprehensive testing, including functionality tests, performance tests, and reliability tests, to ensure it meets the design specifications and quality standards. Final testing is more stringent, and only chips passing all tests are released as qualified products for the market.