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Lecture 02 01 Process Development

Process development for semiconductor devices is a complex process that requires contributions from many groups. It involves stages from basic research through productization and manufacturing. Key groups involved include process engineering, process integration, equipment engineering, yield enhancement, reliability, product assurance, failure analysis, design, final test, and manufacturing. Process engineering is responsible for all process-related issues and includes thin films, photolithography, and etch specialists. Process integration coordinates processes to develop functional and reliable products. [END SUMMARY]

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81 views20 pages

Lecture 02 01 Process Development

Process development for semiconductor devices is a complex process that requires contributions from many groups. It involves stages from basic research through productization and manufacturing. Key groups involved include process engineering, process integration, equipment engineering, yield enhancement, reliability, product assurance, failure analysis, design, final test, and manufacturing. Process engineering is responsible for all process-related issues and includes thin films, photolithography, and etch specialists. Process integration coordinates processes to develop functional and reliable products. [END SUMMARY]

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Don Relo
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Process Development and Process

Integration of Semiconductor Devices


Mark T. Tinker, Ph.D.
Department of Electrical Engineering
University of Texas at Dallas

Process Development Activities

Worked in Process Development for Fifteen Years Both at


IBM and Texas Instruments
Activities Ranged Across a Wide Variety of Different Areas
Failure Analysis
Reliability
Process Engineering
Equipment Engineering
Yield Enhancement
Main Focus of Activities Centered on Reliability and Yield
Enhancement

Product Cycle

Objective of Wafer Fab is to Produce Product


Next Generation Product Requires Several Years to Develop
Development Cycle Must Encompass Following Stages
Research
Early Development
Productization Development
Manufacturing
Product Evolves from Basic Concepts and Processes to an
Integrated Product and Finally Full Scale Manufacturing

Product Cycle Example

IBM Employs a Product Cycle Encompassing Several


Increasingly Demanding Checkpoints
Checkpoints Include T0, T1, T2, S0, S1, and S2
T0 and T1 Includes Basic Development with Increasing
Levels of Product Qualification
T2 Includes Extensive Functional and Reliability
Qualification by an Independent Assurance Group
S0 and Beyond Involves Release to Manufacturing and
Transition to Quality Control

Wafer Fab Culture

Wafer Fabs are Manufacturing Facilities Running Around the


Clock Seven Days a Week
Most Development Runs in this Type of Environment
Wafer Fabs are Large Multi-Billion Dollar Facilities Involving
the Contribution of a Variety of Different Groups
Process Engineering is One of the Most Key Groups in a Fab
PE is a Very Interdisciplinary Area Involving Engineers from
Materials Science
Physics
Chemistry
Chemical Engineering
Electrical Engineering

Wafer Fab Organization

However, Numerous Organizations Contribute to the


Development and Production of Semiconductor Products

These Organizations Include


Process Engineering
Process Integration
Equipment Engineering
Equipment Vendors
Yield Enhancement
Quality Assurance
Reliability

Product Assurance
Product Engineering
Failure Analysis
Design
Final Test
Manufacturing

Process Engineering

Responsible for All Process Related Issues Throughout Wafer Fab


Can Broadly Categorize PE Into Three General Functions
Thin Films
Photolithography
Etch
Process Engineers Have Very Specific Functions

Ion Implant
Poly Dep
Oxide Deposition
Metal Deposition
CVD Barrier Metal

Silicon Etch
Oxide Etch
Metal Etch
CMP
Clean

PE is a Very Large and Important Engineering Area

Process Integration

Responsible for Coordinating and Integrating Semiconductor


Processes in Order to Develop a Functional, Reliable, and
Yieldable Product

Key Wafer Fab Organization


Much Smaller Than Process Engineering Function

Equipment Engineering

Sustains and Supports Manufacturing Equipment In-Line


PE and EE Often Work Together on Resolving Tool Issues
Responsible for Coordinating Tool Installs
EE Oftentimes Works with PE on Evaluating and Accepting
Next Generation Tools

Equipment Vendors

Develops Equipment for Semiconductor Manufacturing


Develops Tool Platform and Process for Manufacturing
PE May Alter or Adjust Process to Meet Manufacturing
Needs
Often Supports and Maintains Their Equipment In-Line in
Place of EE Under Equipment Service Contract

Yield Enhancement

Drives Product Yield In-Line In Order to Expedite Yield


Learning
Shorten Product Cycle During Product Development
Or Maximize Product Yield During Manufacturing
Typically Uses Expensive Defect Detection Tools In-Line to
Identify Yield Limiting Problems
Companies Like IBM Also Depend Heavily Upon In-Line
Parametrics on Test Sites to Drive Yield In-Line
Problems May Range from Regular Daily Particle Excursions
to Large Catastrophic Yield Problems

Quality Assurance

Sets Up Control Charts and Limits for Various Process


Parameters
May Actively Monitor and Enforce Quality Standards

Reliability

Assures and Monitors Product Reliability


Serious Reliability Issues Can Be Disastrous for a Company
Can Be Costly for a Company and Seriously Hurt Its
Reputation
Responding to a Reliability Problem in the Field Can Take
Months
Main Responsibilities Include
Stressing Product During Product Qualification
Implementing In-Line Monitors and Controls
Monitoring Field Returns for Problems and Issues

Product Assurance

Performs Qualification of Product Prior to Product Release


Extensive Reliability Test
Extensive Functionality Test
Assures Manufacturability of Product
Performed by Independent Product Organization to Assure
Unbiased Assessment

Product Engineering

Drives Yield from End of Line By


Evaluating End of Line Final Test Data and Parametrics
Performing Failure Analysis of Defective Product
Provides a Powerful Combination of Electrical Data Analysis
with Physical Failure Analysis
However, Issues Include
Long Turnaround Time Before Product Reaches Final Test
Extensive Time Required for Physical Failure Analysis

Failure Analysis

Provides Physical Failure Analysis and Construction Analysis


for Various Engineering Functions Including
Process Engineering
Process Integration
Yield Enhancement
Reliability
Product Assurance
Product Engineering
Provides
Basic Metallographic Services Such as Polishing and SEM
More Sophisticated Services Such as STEM, SIMS, Auger,
and ESCA

Design

Design May Get Involved with Process Development Issues


Most Issues Are Typically Resolved Through a Process Action
However, Occasional Issues Must Be Resolved with a Design
Change

Final Test

Develops Final Test for Semiconductor Product


Provides Electrical Parametric Data Which Drives
Manufacturing Line
Also, Provides Key Final Test Data Commonly Required to Fix
Product Yield

Manufacturing

Actually Runs the Product Through the Manufacturing Line


Large and Powerful Group Within a Wafer Fab
Typically Engineering Teams Must Work Around
Manufacturing Even in Development in Order to
Minimize Turnaround Times and Maximize Yield Learning
in Development or
Minimize Turnaround Times and Improve Tool Utilization
in Manufacturing

Conclusions

Process Development Very Long and Involved Engineering


Process
Requires Numerous Groups to Develop and Yield a
Semiconductor Product

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