Making a wafer

<p>Although we normally stay with the picture of a <a class="wikilink" href="/lithography/">lithography</a> machine (<a class="wikilink" href="/asml/">ASML</a>), making a wafer involves many steps (more than 1000 in many cases). Circuits are not just printed on silicon, there are many deposition processes, including those of the photomask onto which a pattern will be etched. </p> <p>Lift-off, deposition, polishing, inspection, cleaning, just to name a few. </p> <p>The process of making a wafer is a cycle that takes months, and involves a range of specialised tools from vendors that are not always as acknowledged as the bigger names. </p> <ul> <li><a class="wikilink" href="/kla_(keep_looking_ahead)/">KLA (Keep Looking Ahead)</a></li> <li><a class="wikilink" href="/advanced_materials_(amat)/">Advanced Materials (AMat)</a></li> <li><a class="wikilink" href="/besi/">Besi</a></li> <li><a class="wikilink" href="/tokyo_electron/">Tokyo Electron</a></li> <li><a class="wikilink" href="/screen/">Screen</a></li> </ul>