SEMI and IMA

At the last IMA meeting (October in Vail, Colorado), it was recommended that James Moyne investigate the possibility and utility of forming an IMA task force within SEMI. James attended the SEMICON Southwest meetings (October ’98 in Austin, Texas) and discussed this matter with leaders in various relevant task forces under the Information and Control Committee. The feedback from these leaders is: (1), task forces already exist under the I&CC that are focused on addressing a number of IMA issues, (2), IMA members should increase their participation in SEMI standards development so as to better identify what issues are being addressed and what additional issues of concern fall under the charter of existing task forces, and (3), the formation of an IMA task force is not recommended at this time.

With respect to item (1), the Equipment Control Systems (ECS), Data Collection, various sensor bus, etc., task forces have charters that could allow the IMA members to pursue many of their concerns. The way to do this is to increase participation in SEMI standards (item (2)).

A specific place in SEMI where the IMA could be particularily helpful and influential is the Equipment Control Systems (ECS) task force. Click here to view the charter of the task force. Currently this task force is working on two documents:

1.) A line item update to the Generic Equipment Model (GEM) standard to specify a method for updating recipe parameters at the tool via a GEM interface. This method would be particularily useful for "closing the loop" to provide integrated metrology with control. The latest ballot of this update can be obtained by contacting SEMI.

2.) A guideline specification for a piggy-back controller, i.e., a computer engine that interfaces with the tool and in-line metrology system and provides advanced process capabilities such as Fault Detection and Classification (FDC), Run-to-Run (R2R) control, etc.

Please contact the task force co-chairs (identified in the charter document) to obtain copies of these documents or to join the task force.

James Moyne will be working with the IMA to solicit their participation in the SEMI ECS task force.

A wealth of information on SEMI, SEMI standards and SEMI standards activities can be found on the SEMI web page: www.semi.org