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The Hacker Fab @ CMU

the first open-source semiconductor fab

We design, build, document, and share DIY machines and processes to fabricate semiconductor devices in any room, for anyone with access to the Internet.

Hacker Fab began at CMU in spring of 2023, where in just four months, students ranging fromfreshmen to PhDs transformed an empty lab room into a nanofabrication facility capable of making functioning transistors.

CMU Specific Acheivments…

  • Over 160 students have joined the CMU Hacker Fab, fabricated micron scale devices, and added to the open source database.
  • >2000 transistors have been made by students, by hand
  • 6 high functioning nanofabrication tools have been built and verified (with more under development)
  • Numerous process flows developed and verified.

Beyond CMU…

  • Over 2000 members have joined the Hacker Fab discord channel
  • Inspired by CMU, 6 other universities have officially started their own iterations of Hacker Fab with more underway.
  • An untold number of independent contributors have replicated Hacker Fab tools and contributed their own innovations

The Hacker Fab is still young and already has created an international web of contributors for open sourece nanofabrication equipment and processing. To join in, click the icons below for the gitbook, github, and discord.

Gitbookgithub

discord

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Hacker Fab Lab

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Recent Device Demonstrations

  • Self-aligned NMOS
  • Gate Length – 10μm
  • 952 Transistors per Chip
  • 94% Yield
  • 1.26V Threshold Voltage

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DIY Fab Tools

Hacker Fab students re-purpose cutting-edge technology in consumer devices to make low-cost micro and nanofabrication tools. This inlcudes but is not limited to a Maskless Photolithography Stepper using home projector components, an RF Sputtering Chamber powered by hobbyist radio equipment, and an Atomic Layer Deposition tool run by arduinos.

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RF Sputtering System

Lab close 1

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ALD Tool

Structure

The Hacker Fab @ CMU operates as an integrated course and lab. The course is open to multiple disciplines in addition to ECE such as Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, etc. Students receive lecture content on nanofabrication processes such as…

  • Thin film deposition
  • Etching techniques
  • Contamination control
  • Patterning
  • Electrical characterization
  • Metrology

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Students also participate in lab sessions to learn hands on fabrication and characterization  of devices like transistors, MOSCaps, and micron scale resistors.

The bulk of student time is spent working on open ended projects that aim to add new tools/processes to the lab, or improve on existing ones.

At the end of each semester, some students stay with the lab to serve as project leads for the next semester’s incoming cohort. This ensures a student led environment with strong continuity.

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Spring 2023
plant in the cleanroom.
stepper v2 12 18 23
DIY Photolithography Stepper
Working on Evaporator
Pick Your Favorite Tweezer
Solvent Fume Hood
White Board Fridge
evaporator rough detail shot
Lecture
Electronics work bench
Calipers
Litho-Stepper Sketch
Tube Furnace
Evaporator Crucible
Off-the-Shelf Plasma Etcher
UV Strength Testing
3D Printed Flexure Micropositioning Stage
Zemax Optics Simulation
Making LK-99 For Fun

Team

The Hacker Fab was inspired by Sam Zeloof.
The Hacker Fab was created in spring of 2023 by Elio Bourcart and Alexander Hakim.
The Hacker Fab @ CMU is primarily student led, with guidance from Matt Moneck, Tathagata Srimani, and Jay Kunselman (lab manager).

© Copyright CMU ECE Hacker Fab.