Silicon

I thought it would be fun to put some notes about silicon here.

Silicon can be bought in 4" wafers. Say 25 for $450. You want to start with doped silicon (as you won't be melting it down) reference: https://www.electronicproducts.com/Analog_Mixed_Signal_ICs/Transistors_Diodes/DIY_transistor_fabrication_Are_you_up_to_the_challenge.aspx.

You need some basic equipment, but anyone with access to a lab or hackerspace might have enough. From previous reference:

   Nitrogen tank
   Kiln
   Hydrofluoric acid (HF)
   Phosphosilicate film
   Prime-grade silicon wafer
   Vinyl sticker in place of photoresist for masks
   Color chart for identifying thickness of oxide layer

I have nitrogen, an oven up to 450 F I think, can obtain HF and wafers... However, silicon is not cheap. This hobby looks to be on the expensive side.

Is there a limit to what size a die can be? How about transistors that are 4" across...

Book List

These books used to be on Sam Zeloof's website, but he took them down. I'll copy them here for reference. There must be something useful here.

• Microchip Fabrication: A Practical Guide to Semiconductor Processing, Sixth Edition 6th Edition by Peter Van Zant
• Thin Film Processes by John L. Vossen
• Fundamental Principles of Optical Lithography: The Science of Microfabrication by Chris Mack
• The Art of Electronics 3rd Edition by Paul Horowitz
• IC Layout Basics : A Practical Guide 1st Edition by Christopher Saint
• CMOS Circuit Design ? Analog, Digital, IC Layout (Electrical and Electronic Engineering Design Series) by Nicholas L Pappas Ph.D.
• Motors for Makers: A Guide to Steppers, Servos, and Other Electrical Machines 1st Edition by Matthew Scarpino
• Practical Electronics for Inventors, Fourth Edition 4th Edition by Paul Scherz
• Logic Design and Verification Using SystemVerilog by Donald Thomas
• Introduction to Electromagnetic and Microwave Engineering (Wiley Series in Microwave and Optical Engineering) 1st Edition by Paul R. Karmel
• Microwaves And Wireless Simplified (Artech House Microwave Library by Thomas S. Laverghetta
• Microwaves And Wireless Simplified  by Thomas S. Laverghetta
• Introduction to Microelectromechanical(MEM)Microwave Systems  by Hector J. de Los Santos
• Fundamentals of Photonics 2nd Edition by Bahaa E. A. Saleh
• The Physics of Semiconductors: With Applications to Optoelectronic Devices by Kevin F. Brennan
• High-Vacuum Technology: A Practical Guide, Second Edition (Mechanical Engineering) 1997 by Marsbed H. Hablanian
• Advanced Semiconductor Fundamentals 2nd Edition by Robert F. Pierret
• Semiconductor Physics And Devices: Basic Principles 4th Edition by Donald A. Neamen
• Microelectronics Circuit Analysis and Design 4th Edition by Donald Neamen
• Verilog by Example: A Concise Introduction for FPGA Design by Blaine Readler
• The sacred blue book: Hdl Chip Design: A Practical Guide for Designing, Synthesizing & Simulating Asics & Fpgas Using Vhdl or Verilog ? March, 1998 by Douglas J. Smith
• Principles of Plasma Discharges and Materials Processing ,  by Michael A. Lieberman
• Chemical Vapor Deposition: Thermal and Plasma Deposition of Electronic Materials 1995 Edition by Srinivasan Sivaram
• Molecular Beam Epitaxy: Fundamentals and Current Status  by Marian A. Herman