Progress:
This week we completed our Design Review presentation and successfully finished the first iteration of template NMOS fabrication. Importantly, HackerFab has now resolved the ICP-RIE etching issue, so the process is working reliably again and unblocking continued device fabrication. With V1 devices in hand, the project now transitions from fabrication execution into bring-up and quantitative characterization, which will establish the baseline device parameters and expectations needed to refine the oscillator design, inform the next NMOS fabrication, and steadily progress towards oscillator fabrication.
Schedule/Updates:
Overall, we are on schedule relative to our February/pre–spring break plan. The V1 fabrication milestone was met as planned with underlying fabrication issues fully resolved. Due to scheduling constraints, full characterization under Hackerfab guidance could not be completed immediately and earlier, but the team expects to complete bring-up and collect quantitative device metrics by the end of next week to remain compliant to the project timeline.
Upcoming Deliverables
Next week’s priority is to close the loop on Iteration 1 by performing device testing/characterization (led by Charlie and Jim, with HackerFab support) and generating concrete quantitative parameters (IV curves, safe operating voltage window, leakage behavior) that can be fed back into: the V2 template NMOS iteration planning now that the etch process is restored, as well as the Oscillator design refinement, grounded in measured device behavior rather than previous assumptions.
In parallel, the team will produce the Design Review Report for submission by 2/27, incorporating design review feedback and documenting the fabrication workflow, current results, and updated validation plan.
Evidence and Photos of Current Status
The hyperlink leads to the proposal presentation that we presented this week. Slides 6-8 shows photos of the fabrication process taken in Hackerfab. For next week, we will upload pictures and process of measurements and characterization.