A university flexible technology foundry for VLSI application specific integrated circuits

The Rochester Institute of Technology has established a factory operation within its cleanroom facility. The factory coexists with class laboratory instruction and research. About one lot per week is released into the factory, and processing is completed automatically by paid student operators several weeks later. The customers for the factory are students and faculty involved in VLSI design courses in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering. Other customers included the Microelectronic Engineering faculty and staff and graduate students from a variety of programs. The factory supports a variety of processes, such as NMOS and bipolar. A description is given of the organization and operation of this student-operated factory