The HackerFab initiative aims to develop the capability to fabricate basic semiconductor devices—starting with transistors and eventually integrated circuits—at the micrometer scale for prototyping and educational purposes. The motivation is to demystify semiconductor manufacturing by recreating core fabrication processes using low-cost, accessible, and student-built equipment, while maintaining sufficient rigor and discipline to achieve meaningful results.
This project draws heavy inspiration from the work of Sam Zeloof, a pioneer of the modern "hacker fab" movement, as well as established hackerfab communities such as those at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). Parallel efforts by an IIT Bombay team, supported by Meractus, further demonstrate the feasibility and relevance of this problem statement.
📝 This document represents an initial project proposal and draft. Additional resources, refinements, and technical details will be added as the project progresses. The tentative start date for active execution is January.
Sam Zeloof demonstrated that it is possible to fabricate semiconductor devices outside of commercial cleanroom environments using ingenuity, careful process control, and extensive self-study. His work inspired several academic and independent hackerfab communities.
Key resources from Sam Zeloof include:
HackerFab @ CMU — This group formalized the hackerfab concept into a community-driven effort. Their website hosts links to their Discord server, GitHub repositories, and extensive documentation covering tools, processes, and safety considerations required to build a complete hackerfab.
HackerFab IIT Bombay — A team at IIT Bombay has been working on a similar problem statement since August and has secured funding from Meractus. Their publicly available proposal provides valuable insight and inspiration for structuring our own approach.
The core objective of this project is to develop the capability to fabricate semiconductor devices at the micrometer scale, starting from raw silicon wafers. Achieving this requires understanding and executing a series of precise, interdependent manufacturing processes.