This is a comprehensive overview of the technology of plasma-based processing, written by an outstanding group of 29 contributors. Circuit fabrication involves sequential process steps: epitaxial growth of doped Si or GaAs layers, ion implantation of dopants and non-dopants, deposition of dielectric layers, patterning, etching, surface planarization, deposition of polycrystalline semiconductors for transistor gates, and cleaning between process steps. Twenty years ago all of these steps involved chemical processes carried out in either liquid or gas phases. Today, many of these deposition and etching processes are based on the chemistry and physics of plasmas. The advantages provided by plasmas, plasma fundamentals, and a broad range of plasma processes, relevant to the deposition and etching of thin films for microelectronics and other fields, are described in this excellent handbook. Contents Include: General Introduction: Techniques for IC Processing. Plasma Fundamentals: Introduction to Plasma Concepts and Discharge Configurations Fundamentals of Sputtering and Reflection Bombardment-Induced Compositional Change with Alloys, Oxides, Odysalts and Halides. Non-reactive Plasma Process: RF Diode Sputter Etching and Deposition Magnetron Plasma Deposition Processes Broad-Beam Ion Sources. Reactive Ion Etching: Reactive Ion Etching Reactive Sputter Deposition Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition of Thin Films for Microelectronics Electron Cyclotron Resonance Microwave Discharges for Etching and Thin Film Deposition Hollow Cathode Etching and Deposition. Related Plasma Process: Ion Plating Ionized Cluster Beam (ICB Deposition Techniques The Activated Reactive Evaporation (ARE) Process Formation of Thin Films by Remote Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (Remote PECVD) Selective Bias Sputter Deposition Vacuum Arc-Based Processing. Plasma Surface Interactions: Ion-Surface Interactions: General Understandings Ion Assisted Deposition Microstructural Control of Plasma-Sputtered Refractory Coatings.