A good graphical exploration of how a field-effect transistor is fabricated on a
silicon wafer. This material is a sequenced collection of drawings describing the fabrication process used to build transistors in an integrated circuit. The user controls the pace of the presentation. The material can be used to demonstrate the process in class or outside the classroom environment.
Type of Material:
This is a virtual simulation of transistor fabrication process. It allows students to better visualize the processes.
Recommended Uses:
The material can be used for self-study or as part of a classroom demo. One can use this material as a part of a solid state circuits introductory course. I can also see this material beeing used as a part of an introductory to engineering course to give students a look at engineering processes.
Technical Requirements:
A java-enabled browser is likely needed.
Identify Major Learning Goals:
Students should be able to explain the processing steps involved in producing an FET once they have studied this module. To the extent that having a visual experience promotes learning, this module with its outstanding graphics, does promote a good learning objective.
Target Student Population:
Can be used for electrical and/or computer engineering students - This can also be used in high school or in an intro to engineering/physics course to provide a simulation of solid state processed. Some Computer Science curricula may make use of these materials as well.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
Basic elctronics
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
The graphics are excellent and easy to understand. Students can break down the process through this step by step simulation. This is as close as it gets to a real process.
Concerns:
The courseware is somewhat limited in that the expalnations are short and rely on other descriptions of the process to provide the stuednt with a full understadning of the steps involved.
It would have been nice if the author had included more detailed comments on the process, and perhaps some questions that students might answer. Also, could a video/photos of the real process haved helped?
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
This is very much a traditional, sequential lecture-type presentation. No interaction occurs, except in the learner's ability to advance the process forward or backward i.e., Students can review the process repeatedly on their own.
Concerns:
Practical comments (how is this done in a lab?) about each step in the process are seriously lacking. The authors could expand this material to provide a better description of what is happening.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
The use of this module is very intuitive. Very Easy to Use.
Concerns:
User must download a plug-in for some browsers
Creative Commons:
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