You have surely heard it said that “a pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” … to justify the need for optimism and maintaining a cheerful, positive attitude in the face of adversity … but the fact of the matter is that the valuable things in the world HARD to do … not just like scoring four touchdowns in the football championship, like Al Bundy and way too many others reliving their glory days from decades ago … SERIOUSLY HARD in a long-term, multi-decade sense … and the only way to get through it is to be a hardened realist, and that means slogging through, thorougly embracing the suck after that’s stopped being a slogan to get through a rough day on the beach.

It’s necessary to RAPIDLY BECOME IMMERSED … to the point where one feels like drowning is certain … only AFTER one has learned enough to understand why the pessimists were too optimistic and the optimists were completely off the charts, hopelessly delusional … is it possible to be a HARDENDED REALIST.

Getting There QUICKLY

Here is a proposed 200-module, year-long nanofabrication course for autodidacts, designed to complement Sam Zeloof’s AtomicSemi fab venture and the ZeroToASIC course:

Pre-Fundamentals (50 modules) BEFORE YOU START:

1-10: Autodidactic Learning, Self-Teaching IMMERSION … AND Why This Ain’t For 99.9% of The People Out There

11-20: Examples of Autodidactic Nanofabrication Projects and How They Have Financed Their Labs

21-30: Open-Source Tools, Resources for Nanofabrication, Sharing Resources and Financial Workarounds

31-40: Building A Home Lab for Building A Home Lab for Building A Home Lab for Nanofabrication

41-50: Safety Protocols, Best Practices, Other Stakeholders, Karens/Supporters and The LAW for Home Labs

Fundamentals (50 modules):

1-10: Introduction to Semiconductors and Devices

11-20: Solid State Physics and Quantum Mechanics

21-30: Crystallography and Materials Science

31-40: Cleanroom Protocols and Safety

41-50: Vacuum Systems and Plasma Physics

Lithography (30 modules):

51-60: Optical Lithography and Photoresists

61-70: Electron Beam Lithography

71-75: Nanoimprint Lithography

76-80: Advanced Lithography Techniques

Thin Film Deposition (30 modules):

81-90: Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD)

91-100: Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)

101-105: Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD)

106-110: Electrochemical Deposition

Etching and Patterning (30 modules):

111-120: Wet Chemical Etching

121-130: Dry Etching (RIE, ICP, etc.)

131-135: Lift-off Processes

136-140: Nanoscale Patterning Techniques

Characterization and Metrology (30 modules):

141-150: Optical Microscopy and Spectroscopy

151-160: Electron Microscopy (SEM, TEM)

161-165: Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)

166-170: Electrical Characterization Techniques

Process Integration and Device Fabrication (30 modules):

171-180: CMOS Process Flow

181-185: MEMS and Sensor Fabrication

186-190: Photonic Device Fabrication

191-195: Quantum Device Fabrication

196-200: Advanced Packaging and 3D Integration

The course begins with a strong foundation in semiconductor physics, materials science, and cleanroom practices. Students will gain hands-on experience with various micro and nanofabrication equipment, including those used in Sam Zeloof’s AtomicSemi fab.

Lithography modules cover both conventional and advanced techniques, with an emphasis on electron beam lithography to align with AtomicSemi’s capabilities. Thin film deposition and etching modules provide a comprehensive overview of key processes in device fabrication.

Characterization and metrology modules familiarize students with essential tools for analyzing and optimizing fabrication processes. The course culminates with process integration and device fabrication modules, covering a range of application areas.

To complement the ZeroToASIC course, specific modules on CMOS process flow and the use of open-source PDKs and ASIC tools can be included. Students will learn to design and simulate their own ASICs using these resources and gain an understanding of the fabrication process behind them.

Throughout the course, students will work on practical projects that reinforce their learning and develop their skills in nanofabrication. Collaboration with the AtomicSemi fab and the ZeroToASIC community will provide opportunities for knowledge sharing and real-world application of course concepts.

By the end of this comprehensive program, autodidacts will have a strong foundation in nanofabrication and the ability to design and fabricate their own devices using cutting-edge open-source tools and resources.