National Workshop on Advanced Electronics: Device Design & Process Characterization

(2nd-3rd December, 2013)

Introduction

Research and Development (R&D) in the areas of Advanced Electronics and Nano-scale Semiconductor Device Design and Fabrication is new in Pakistan. Advanced Electronics research, however, is gaining importance due to acute shortage of trained manpower in the areas of microelectronics & photonics, device design and system integration and renewable energy technology. The proposed workshop is a deliberate effort to bring the Advanced Electronics specific expertise within Pakistan under one roof and establish a platform for real-time training, mutual facility usage and interaction to set the direction for consolidated efforts to address the national needs. The proposed workshop is aimed to train cross-disciplinary final year undergraduate students, MS/PhD students, early career faculty members and researchers from national scientific organizations using dedicated lectures on cutting edge research on industrially relevant themes as well as hands-on training on the available resources (internationally licensed device design tools) in the Advanced Electronics Laboratory to introduce them with the real-time research environment as well as scientific problems.

SCOPE AND TARGET AUDIENCE/PARTICIPANTS

The Advanced Electronics Laboratory (AEL), established in 2010 in the Faculty of Engineering & Technology at International Islamic University (IIU), plans to host this workshop. One such activity was held in May 2011 in collaboration with National Centre for Physics (NCP), Islamabad. The Laboratory was established initially with the seed funding of Rs. 10 million awarded by IIU’s Research Fund. The laboratory housed with the fully functional and internationally licensed device design tools (such as TCAD SILVACO, CADENCE, MEMS PRO, MENTOR GRAPHICS etc.) was awarded with an international competitive grant for the procurement of process characterization research grade equipments in 2012. This project is underway with a commitment to make the laboratory an open-access user’s facility for students, faculty and industrial researchers. The students and faculty, currently contributing in the laboratory and Advanced Electronics MS/PhD programs, are from Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Materials Sciences and Applied Physics backgrounds. The majority of studies underway are focused on the semiconductor process protocols and subsequent device and material characterization to analyze the impact of carefully engineered process parameters on the atomistic as well as device level for useful tailoring of electronic and optical properties. These tailored or engineered process protocols in Silicon and III-V materials and devices provide novel solutions to utilize the structures in diverse electronic, optical and photonic, communication and energy related applications.

BENEFITS TO PAKISTAN & SIGNIFICANCE WITH REFERENCE TO EXISTING NATIONAL NEEDS

• The workshop will provide a forum to exchange information (lectures, training sessions, group discussions, informal interaction) on national level, for the development and sharing of knowledge in the field of Advanced Electronics;
• To identify and discuss strategic and technical options that may have been proposed by individuals to promote the development Advanced Electronics manufacturing for applications in consumer electronics as well as the development of defense and security based projects in Pakistan;
• To identify gaps and key issues that needs to be addressed in relation to the focused R&D and training of manpower for industrial deployment of Advanced Electronics (in line with the goals set in MTDF and other strategic national plans );
• To engage, train, and boost the young scientists and engineers of the country in this field, in particular with regard to the concept called “Research Applied to the National Needs”.