Microelectronics Overview

Principles

Definition

Microelectronics is a field of engineering and applied physics concerned with the design, fabrication, and application of extremely small electronic circuits and components, typically operating at the micron and sub-micron scales. As a research concept, it investigates the principles and techniques required to integrate complex electronic functionalities onto single semiconductor chips, characterized by high component density, low power consumption, and high operational speed. Its fundamental significance lies in enabling the development of modern computing, communication technologies, and a vast array of electronic devices, forming the technological bedrock of the digital era.

Ontological type

Fabrication Technologies

Core Principles

Scaling Challenges

Key developments

Key Figures

MOS Paradigm and Verification era

G. D. Watkins [1] is associated with Clarendon College [3] and the University of Colorado Boulder [4] during the MOS Paradigm and Verification era (1960–1984). His key contribution includes the paper Production of Divacancies and Vacancies by Electron Irradiation of Silicon [7], which revealed how electron irradiation creates divacancies and vacancies in silicon and informed radiation-aware physics-based models essential to MOS device reliability and verification in this era. J. W. Corbett [2] was affiliated with Université Paris Cité [5] and the University of Würzburg [6] during the same MOS Paradigm and Verification era. His key contribution also centers on the paper Production of Divacancies and Vacancies by Electron Irradiation of Silicon [7], whose findings on defect generation under irradiation helped shape scale-aware verification frameworks by informing device-physics constraints and testability considerations critical to the MOS paradigm.

Reliability-Driven CMOS Scaling era

J. F. Scott [1], affiliated with University of Colorado Boulder [3] and University of Cambridge [4], helped frame ferroelectric memory concepts. His contributions in this era, highlighted by the Ferroelectric Memories [6], established ferroelectric memory concepts as a viable path toward reliable, dense nonvolatile memory in CMOS contexts, addressing leakage and energy efficiency constraints. Carlos A. Paz de Araújo [2], associated with University of Colorado Boulder [3] and Fudan University [5], anchors the era's ferroelectric memory discourse. Carlos A. Paz de Araújo [2]'s key contributions in this era, grounded in Ferroelectric Memories [6], advanced ferroelectric materials and device concepts that informed reliability-conscious scaling.

Materials-Driven Heterogeneous Integration era

Zhong Lin Wang [1] is a leading figure in materials-driven nanoelectronics, with affiliations including the Center for Excellence in Education [3] and the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology [4]. Piezoelectricity of single-atomic-layer MoS2 for energy conversion and piezotronics [7] demonstrates piezoelectricity in a single-atomic-layer MoS2, enabling energy conversion and piezotronics and advancing 2D-material-enabled transduction essential for materials-driven heterointegration in this era. James Hone [2] is a prominent researcher with affiliations including the University of Washington [5] and the University of California, Berkeley [6]. The Piezoelectricity of single-atomic-layer MoS2 for energy conversion and piezotronics [7] paper underpins Hone's contributions by highlighting how 2D MoS2 piezoelectricity enables energy conversion and piezotronic control for ultrathin devices in heterointegration.