Nano and Microelectronics LAB

The Nano- and Microelectronics Laboratory is devoted to

• the experimental characterization of electronic devices and circuits either directly on wafer or in package;
• the modelling, simulation and design of semiconductor based devices and circuits;
• the design of integrated circuits for RF and wired communications.

In the Nano and Microelectronics LAB both PhD and undergraduate students can have a hands-on training and practicing experience with state of the art electronic instrumentation for DC and RF characterization of test structures and small circuits.

In particular, the lab is equipment with:

• Probe Station Cascade Microtech Microchamber for the characterization of wafers up to 300 mm;
• Temptronic Termochuck + Air dryer + Nitrogen flux for wafer measurement from -65° C to 200 °C;
• Agilent 4156C Semiconductor parameter analyzer + 41506B PGU extension for DC and pulsed characterization of device and circuits;
• Everbeing four point probe for sheet resistance measurement of substrates;
• Keythley 238 Source and Measurement Unit;
• Agilent 33250A Arbitrary Waveform Generator;
• Agilent 34970A Switch Matrix;
• Keythley 6517 Electrometer;
• HP 8114A Pulse Generator;
• HP 4284A LCR Meter for impedence measurements up tp 1 MHz;
• HP 6626A DC power supply;
• HP 8647A Signal Generator;
• Tektronix TDS 520B Digitizing Oscilloscope;
• Tektronix CSA8000B Comunication Signal Analyzer for RF characterization of circuits;
• Agilent E8257D PSG Analog Signal Generator up to 60 GHz;
• HP ESA-L1500A Analog Spectrum Analyzer.

The simulation and design of nanoelectronic devices is supported through the most updated TCAD tools, such as the SDEVICE simulator that is also used for teaching activities. The design of circuits is in turn supported by the Cadence platform. The modeling and simulation of electron devices can also leverage on several in house developed simulators, that have been conceived and designed by the nanoelectronic group at the DPIA during twenty plus year research activities, and in the framework of many research projects funded by the European Union, the Italian MIUR, The FvG region, as well as leading industries in the field of microelectronic technologies. The research activities for novel devices and advanced materials for nanoelectronics are carried out by using also ab-initio simulations, through open-access simulation tools based on the Density Functional Theory (DFT) approach, such as the QuantumEspresso suite.