Standards
The SEMI and IEEE organisations have signed a memorandum of understanding to support each other's programmes to create nanotechnology and micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) standards. The agreement marks the first standards collaboration between the two organisations. SEMI and IEEE will appoint liaisons, define a regular exchange of information and schedule periodic joint meetings. It also provides for presenting updates at committee meetings and isseminating standards information on nanotechnology and MEMS.
The IEEE Standards Association has an active nanotechnology standards effort underway and expects to publish a measurement standard for carbon nanotubes in 2005. SEMI's MEMS Initiative includes a focus on standards. Possible areas of focus include organic, molecular, carbon nanotube and silicon nanofibre-based devices.
Bettina Weiss, director of International Standards & MEMS at SEMI, comments:
"Standards developed by SEMI will address such areas as materials, tools and interfaces, while IEEE standards will deal with test methods, materials, devices, interoperability and other topics."
The IEEE, in addition to its work on carbon nanostructure standards (e.g., IEEE P1650, "Standard Test Methods for Measurement of Electrical Properties of Carbon Nanotubes"), also recently completed IEEE 1620, "Standard for Test Methods for the Characterization of Organic Transistors and Materials". This standard creates a uniform framework for evaluating organic field effect transistors (OFET) as a platform for high-volume manufacturing. The IEEE is now extending its OFET activities to device standards.
SEMI has published 12 new technical standards applicable to the semiconductor and flat panel display manufacturing industries. The new standards include:
* a specification for semiconductor equipment manufacturing information tagging (SEMI E36.1)
* an XML schema for the common equipment model (CEM) (SEMI E120.1), a specification for data collection management (SEMI E134)
* a test method for RF generators to determine software transient response for RF power delivery systems used in semiconductor processing equipment (SEMI E135)
* a specification for port configuration of canisters to contain liquid chemical vapour deposition (CVD) precursors (SEMI F96)
* a guide for specifying silicon annealed wafers (SEMI M57)
* a test method for evaluating DMA-based particle deposition systems and processes (SEMI M58)
* a specification for SECS protocol for tracking jigs and implements (SEMI T12.1)
* a specification for XML protocol for tracking jigs and implements (SEMI T12.2)
* a specification for device tracking: concepts, behaviour and services (SEMI T13)
