MNTC-EC Workshop: Semiconductor Industry Overview

Abe Michelen, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, New York

This two-day workshop will introduce the process of manufacturing integrated circuits, and the tools (Statistical Process Control) used by the industry to monitor and improve the quality of the final product.

Register at https://cccconfer.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwoc-2urD8vG91oY_OanBcAUjpVOg9_ZkYn

A semiconductor chip (also called “integrated circuit (IC)”) is an electric circuit with many components such as transistors and wiring formed on a semiconductor wafer. The layout of the components is patterned on a photomask (reticle) by computer and projected onto a semiconductor wafer. 

Statistical Process Control (SPC) is a key element to any successful quality program. The use of statistics in controlling the variation of any process is vital. This is important for the Semiconductor Industry.

General topics, include:

• Semiconductor industry overview
• Industry trends.
• IC Manufacturing Overview
• Materials in IC Manufacturing
• Semiconductor Fundamentals
  • Front-end Processes: layering, doping, patterning, removal, thermal.
  • Back-end Processes: test/sort, bump, background, die separation (sawing), die attach, wire bond, packaging, final test.
  • Production areas in a wafer fab cleanroom: diffusion, lithography, etch, ion implantation, thin films, and CMP (polish)
• Introduction to MOSFETs
• Introduction to SPC
• Understanding what a process variation Is: Variation types
• Data & Control Charts
• SPC Tools: control charts
• Interpretation of control charts
• Learn how to use free-of-charge SPC software, to be distributed to participants – SPC for Excel and the open source program OpenStat