International Sematech, Selete, publish 300-mm automation requirements online
Semiconductor Business News
(05/30/00, 01:29:01 PM EDT)
AUSTIN, Tex. -- International Sematech here and Japan's Selete today published an online document that defines the basic requirements and examples of base operation scenarios for fixed-buffer, single-wafer processing tools.
The two chip consortia began collaborating in March on the 300-mm Functionality Requirements (see March 29 story). The final document identifies common equipment functionality requirements for automated manufacturing.
It is now available on the International Sematech Website at www.sematech.org/public/resources/stds/reports.htm. The abstract of the document will be available soon in Japanese on the Selete Website at (see selete.co.jp.
The semiconductor industry put off the transition to 300-mm production two years ago, due both to the severe economic downturn in 1997-98 and also the delay in qualifying new equipment and establishing wafer-handling standards. Recently, announcements of new 300-mm fab projects by Intel, Infineon, TSMC, and others have spurred the implementation of 300-mm production equipment based on the CIM Global Joint Guidance and SEMI standards.
"This collaboration effort is intended to provide guidance to equipment suppliers on the interpretation and application of those standards, and these first results achieve that. Because the industry agrees on how to proceed, equipping 300 mm factories will move forward more smoothly," said Randy Goodall, associate director of Manufacturing Methods and Productivity at International SEMATECH.
"The results of this collaboration will reduce variation in requirements and encourage consistent implementation among all equipment makers," said Kenichi Kawashima, director and general manager of Selete Manufacturing Technology Research, located in Yokohama, Jana.
Member companies from Selete and International Sematech will present the current consensus on basic requirements for fixed-buffer, single-wafer processing tools at a workshop sponsored by SEMI Japan in Osaka on this Friday. Presentations by consortia representatives will focus on software requirements for automated manufacturing.
In addition, semiconductor companies that have announced 300-mm fabs will provide their roadmaps for implementation of requirements from the standards in production and automated material-handling systems. Suppliers will share their strategies and plans for complying with the standards and guidelines.
A similar forum is planned for July 14 in San Francisco during Semicon West to unveil the functionality requirements for internal buffer batch processing tools. International Sematech and Selete will publish those basic requirements in July.
Extended requirements and sample scenarios for these tool types to include more advanced and complex usage and operations are scheduled for release in October. |
