Integration

A complete silicon-based CMOS integrated circuit process flow usually includes hundreds to thousands “unit process.” Further, several basic unit process steps can be combined as a “module process” for a well-defined function as described in Chaps. 5 and 6. Similarly, these modules can be further grouped into frontend-of-line (FEOL), middle-of-line (MOL), and backend-of-line (BEOL), to form a complete CMOS integration process flow as a platform. Furthermore, additional functional modules, e.g., NVM, DRAM, 3DNAND, CIS, etc., can be inserted into the platform for various applications of non-volatile memory, DRAM, RF, BiCMOS, system-on-chip, etc.