|
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |09
I line
exposure wavelength of 365 nm.
I/O
Input/Output. Generally refers to the external connections of an IC that tie it to the outside world. Supply pins and control pins are usually not considered I/O.
I/O pins
connections to an integrated circuit through which input and/or output (I/O) signals pass.
IC
see integrated circuit.
ICP
see inductively couple plasma.
IDDQ
abbreviation for direct drain quiescent current. (The "DDQ" part of the abbreviation is written with subscript capital letters.) See static current test.
IDEAL
a five-phased approach to improving a software process. Abbreviation represents the five phases: initiating, diagnosing, establishing, acting, and leveraging.
IDLH
see immediately dangerous to life and health.
IF
see interface.
IGBT
Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor. A four-layer discrete power device that combines the characteristics of a power MOS transistor and a thyristor. IGBT devices are usually found in high-voltage circuits (above 300V) because they can be prepared with significantly lower values of RDS(on) than a power MOSFET with the same die size. Also referred to as "COMFETs," "GEMFETs" and "IGTs".
IGFET
Insulated Gate Field Effect Transistor. See MOSFET.
Illumination, Koehler
in reflected-light microscopy, a specular illumination system used directly for the brightfield mode and as preliminary setup for all other modes except darkfield. The image of the field diaphragm is focused on the specimen surface, and the image of an undiffused lamp source is focused in the plane of the aperture diaphragm.
Illumination, Kohler
see illumination, Koehler.
ILM
In-Line Monitor.
Image
1: any single geometric form appearing in a layout as a part of a master drawing or layout (image, drafting) projected on a screen or viewed, usually at some magnification or reduction (image, optical) etched in the silicon dioxide layer on an oxidized silicon wafer (image, oxide) in a photomask or in the emulsion of a photographic film or plate (image, photographic) an exposed and developed coating on a substrate (image, photoresist) 2: in scanning tunneling microscopy, representation of surface topography obtained using the signal from the tip or surface during rastering and under tunneling conditions. 3: in atomic force microscopy, representation of surface topography obtained by using the signal from the cantilever or surface during rastering in constant force conditions.
Image field
in the measurement of photolithographic instruments, the extent of the image along the X and Y axes. It may be defined by the limits of image quality, as a practical matter, for the intended application.
Image processing
The use of computers and sophisticated mathematical algorithms to analyze, enhance, and interpret digitized images.
Imaging
see lithography.
Imbedded abrasive grains
on a semiconductor wafer, abrasive particles mechanically forced into the surface.
Immediately Dangerous To Life And Health (IDLH)
the maximum concentration of a hazardous material from which one could escape within 30 minutes with no escape-impairing symptoms or irreversible health effects. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends use of IDLH to select appropriate respirators. If adequate data does not exist for the precise establishment of the IDLH data, an independent certified industrial hygienist, industrial toxicologist, or appropriate regulatory agency should make this determination.
Impact test
in component testing, a test performed to determine particle contribution as a result of mechanical shock to the component.
Imperfect bead
in an ion-exchange resin, a cracked, pocked, or fragmented bead.
Implant
see ion implantation.
Implemented environment
the actual code, tools, people, repositories, and procedures for developing, integrating, and executing applications.
Impurity
a chemical or element added to silicon to change the electrical properties of the material. Also see dopant and ion implantation.
In situ
refers to processing steps or tests that are done without moving the wafer. Latin for "in original position."
In situ
measurement a measurement made while a silicon wafer resides in the processing chamber of a processing tool.
Inboard test
in determining leak rate, test of the inward leakage from exterior to interior when the external pressure is greater than the internal pressure within the test component.
Inclusion
discrete second phases (oxides, sulfides, carbides, intermetallic compounds) that are distributed in a metal matrix.
Incorrect reception
see NAK.
Incremental design
see design process.
Indent
on a semiconductor wafer, an edge defect that extends from the front surface to the back surface. Contrast chip.
Index of refraction
the relative index of refraction defined by Snell's law as the ration of the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of refraction.
Indirect alignment
in the surface roughness measurement of flat panel display glass substrates, the mechanical positioning of (a) alignment marks on the FPD substrate to one set of reference points in the stepper, and (b) alignment marks on the reticle(s) to a second set of reference points in the stepper. Contrast with direct alignment.
Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP)
a plasma that is driven by a current oscillating in a coil, either around or adjacent to the vacuum vessel. The oscillating current gives rise to a time-varying magnetic field in the gas, which induces a local electric field, which accelerates electrons and excites the plasma.
Inert gas
a gas that, at ambient conditions, does not react chemically with other materials.
Infant mortality
the early portion of the bathtub curve at which the failure rate declines with exposure to time.
Inflammation
the protective response of tissues of the body to irritation or injury; may be acute or chronic; characterized by redness, heat, swelling, or pain and accompanied by loss of function.
Information
the combination of data and the meaning it conveys.
Information model
the definition, attributes, and relationships of the data. Information models are used for sharing data among systems. Contrast data model.
Infrared heater
a device for heating by means of radiant energy within the wavelength range of 770 to 106 nm.
Infrastructure
the understructure, that is, the supporting elements and components. For the semiconductor industry, the service and material suppliers as well as organizations involved in research and development, in finance and trade, and in other matters external to the producers of semiconductors but that are required for the industry to successfully operate.
Ingestion
the taking in of a substance through the mouth.
Ingot
in silicon technology, a solid section of polycrystalline or single crystal silicon, generally of slightly irregular cylindrical or rectangular shape.
Inhalation
the breathing in of a substance in the form of a gas, vapor, fume, mist, or dust.
Inheritance
in object-oriented programming systems, a mechanism whereby classes can make use of the methods and variables defined in all classes above them on their branch of the class hierarchy.
Initial oxide
the first silicon oxide layer grown on the surface of a silicon wafer before the first pattern step.
Initiate motion
in equipment exhaust systems, to use an exhaust stream to start contaminants or machine parts moving from a rest position.
Inking
The process of marking bad dice on a wafer with dots of ink so that these dice will be discarded without the expense of putting them in packages.
Inlet gauge
a pressure gauge, usually affixed to the body of the system regulator on the high-pressure side, that measures the pressure in the gas cylinder.
Inlet mass flow controller calibration pressure
see mass flow controller calibration pressure, inlet and outlet.
Inlet normal operating pressure
see normal operating pressure, inlet and outlet.
Inlet pressure
in a mass flow controller, the pressure at the inlet fitting of the device.
Inlet reference operating pressure
see reference operating pressure, inlet and outlet.
Inline measurement
a measurement made on a silicon wafer while the wafer resides in any portion of a processing tool or work cell except the processing chamber.
Inorganic
describes materials that do not contain carbon.
Input/output pins
see I/O pins.
Insoluble
not capable of being dissolved.
Inspection finish
a clear, transparent backside finish on a film. This type of finish allows optical inspection of films through the back surfaces.
Instance
a particular occurrence of an object defined by a class. All instances of a class share the behavior implemented and inherited by the class. Contrast object instance.
Instance variable
an aspect of the information that supports an instance's behavior. The instance variables collectively implement the instance's state.
Instantiation
an object created from a class.
Instructional aid
any device (whether written, mechanical, electronic, or other form) that can be used by a trainer, instructor, teacher, or student to help facilitate the teaching process.
Insulator
A material which will not allow an electric current to flow through it. In everyday life, we cover electric wires and plugs with rubber or plastic, which are insulators, so that we do not get electric shocks. In semiconductor chips, commonly used insulators are silicon dioxide (glass) and silicon nitride (silicon + nitrogen). These materials are more often referred to as dielectrics by semiconductor engineers.
Integrated Circuit (IC)
1: two or more interconnected circuit elements on a single die. 2: a fabrication technology that combines most of the components of a circuit on a single-crystal silicon wafer. [SEMI Materials, Vol. 3, Definitions for Semiconductor Materials]
Integrated environment
an environment that allows new development to take advantage of the interoperability features of the environment.
Integrated manufacturing
a unified view of the mechanisms required to create a finished product. Integrated manufacturing makes use of the relationships between the processes involved in manufacturing.
Integrated minienvironment
a minienvironment that is an integral part of the tool.
Integrated Model Repository (IMR)
in computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM), the repository of all information from the advanced development environment. The IMR retains information about the application or system being developed or integrated from each phase of the application development environment life cycle; it focuses on capturing the required information from each succeeding phase of the life cycle as well as feeding backward other information; and it maintains models for application as well as libraries of reusable design and code.
Integrated Standard Mechanical Interface (SMIF)
a unit that includes a SMIF port and a mechanism for indexing the port door, and which is entirely incorporated within the tool.
Integrity
of resists, the quality of a resist measured in terms of properties such as chemical resistance, permeability, edge adhesion, and incidence of pinholes.
Intelligent DiscreteTM
A power MOSFET that contains more than one active element or that allows non-intrusive current monitoring
Intelligent Power ICTM
A circuit in which power, logic and analog functions are integrated on the same semiconductor chip.
Interactive design
a design environment that facilitates close interaction between the designer and an automatic tool.
Interactive transfer
in automated material movement, a transfer in which both partners are active and must interact in the performance of the transfer.
Interbay automated material handling system
in semiconductor manufacturing, an automated material handling system (AMHS) for transporting cassettes or boxes of wafers from one process bay to another.
Interbay automation
Automated transport of wafers throughout the entire fab, between the machine bays. One way of doing this is with an overhead monorail system.
Interconnect
1: a highly conductive material, usually aluminum or polysilicon, that carries electrical signals to different parts of a die. 2: the wiring between elements on a die, package, or board.
Interconnect density
the patterns of electrical conductors that are provided both on and off semiconductor die to connect circuit elements and to interface with other system elements; the number of such conductors that are provided in a 1- or 2-dimensional space per dimension unit. Alternatively, interconnect density may be defined by the conductor pitch that is the sum of the conductor width and the space to the next conductor.
Interconnected environment
an environment consisting of a collection of independent monolithic systems, islands of systems, and programs that have been partially interfaced or bridged together.
Interconnection
The conductive path required to achieve connection from one circuit element to others in a circuit.
Interface (IF)
1: of an epitaxial wafer, the boundary between the substrate of an epitaxial layer as determined by a specific measurement method such as infrared reflectance or spreading resistance profiling. DISCUSSION-If determined by the infrared reflectance method, the position of the interface depends on the optical properties of the layer and the substrate. If determined by spreading resistance, the position of the interface is determined as follows: For a boundary between two layers (or a layer and a substrate) of the same conductivity type, the interface is taken as the point at which the resistivity increases to twice the local minimum value it has in the region of lower resistivity. For a boundary between two layers (or a layer and substrate) of opposite conductivity type, the interface is taken as the point at which the local maximum of resistivity occurs. 2: a shared boundary. Examples include a hardware component that links two devices or a portion of storage or registers accessed by two or more computer programs. Also see substrate and epitaxial layer. 4 v : to interact or communicate with another component or entity within a computer network.
Interface plane
in cluster tools, the vertical surface defined by the mating flange surfaces of two joined modules.
Interface seal zone
an absolute surface or face reserved for the establishment of an environmental seal between modules.
Interference contrast microscope
a microscope that reveals surface details of an object in which there is no appreciable absorption by using the interference between two beams of light.
Interfering
in automated material movement, a situation in which any of a dynamic port's associated mechanisms are positioned where they are capable of physically obstructing a transfer.
Interferometer
an instrument for measuring deviations of a surface from a reference plane by means of the interference phenomena of light.
Interferometer clear aperture
the largest unobstructed area that can be tested by an interferometer.
Interferometer reference wavefront
in optics, one of the two or more wavefronts that will interfere to form an interferogram. Also see interferometer.
Interferometer sensitivity
in optics, the physical distance or elevation represented by one interference fringe. Also see interferometer.
Interfield overlay
see overlay, interfield.
Interleaf
in the ionic contamination testing of semiconductor leadframes, a paper or plastic film that is placed between layers of semiconductor leadframe strips to prevent tangling.
Interlevel dielectrics
an insulating film between two conductive film layers, as between poly and aluminum or between layers of aluminum.
Internal lead
in a plastic or cerdip/cerpack package leadframe, the sections of the leads that are inside the package body outline and more specifically relate to the area designated for wire bonds. Contrast external lead.
Internal partial scan
see internal scan.
Internal scan
a scan path that includes only internal registers of an integrated circuit. Also called internal partial scan.
Interoperability
the ability of two or more systems to exchange information and to mutually use the information that has been exchanged. Contrast compatibility.
Interposer
an electrical interconnection structure used between a silicon integrated circuit die and package, test jig, or other die that enables a reduced contact pad pitch on the die.
Interposing relay
a device that enables the energy in a high-power circuit to be switched by a low-power control signal.
Interpreter
the system that interprets a primary message (a first message) at its destination and generates a reply when requested. Contrast originator.
Interstitial
in a crystalline solid, an atom that is not located on a lattice site.
Intertool port resource
in cluster tools, a resource associated with a location in the intertool environment that can operate on behalf of the cluster tool during material transfer between the intertool environment and the cluster tool. An intertool port resource is analogous to a port resource.
Intertool transport
wafer or cassette movement between independent cluster tools. Contrast intratool transport.
Intrabay automated material handling system
in semiconductor manufacturing, an automated material handling system (AMHS) for transporting cassettes or boxes of wafers within one process bay. Also called tool-to-tool automated material handling system.
Intrabay automation
Automated transport of wafers within a bay of machines. There are a number of products which are used for this, as machine interfaces are not yet standardized. Mobile robots which run on rails, or are free standing, can be used. Another option is to extend a branch off a central interbay overhead monorail down into the machine bays.
Intrafield overlay
see overlay, intrafield.
Intratool communications interface
the method of communicating among the modules of a single cluster tool.
Intratool transport
wafer movement inside a cluster tool. Contrast intertool transport.
Intrinsic semiconductor
a semiconductor in which the density of electrons and holes is approximately equal. Contrast extrinsic semiconductor.
Ion
An atom that has either gained or lost electrons, making it a charged particle (either positive or negative).
Ion emitter
equipment that ejects ions from the surface of a substance into the surrounding space.
Ion implantation (I2, II)
a high-energy process that injects an ionized species such as boron, phosphorus, arsenic, or other ions into a semiconductor substrate.
Ion permeation
in cleanroom gloves, the tendency of ionic species to migrate from the interior glove surface to the exterior glove surface.
Ion-exchange resin
1: a polymeric material used in ultrapure water systems to remove unwanted impurities from the liquid stream. 2: a synthetic organic, ion-exchange material.
Ironman
a program that subjects a new piece of equipment to rigorous, round-the-clock testing designed top identify and correct causes of failure. Abbreviation stands for improved reliability of new machines at night.
Irritant
a chemical that is not corrosive but that causes a reversible inflammatory effect on living tissue by chemical action at the site of contact. A chemical is a skin irritant if, when tested on the intact skin of albino rabbits by the method of 16 CFR 1500.41, following an exposure period of four hours or by other appropriate techniques, it results in an empirical score of five or more.
Island
see isolated line.
Isolated high-pressure purge system
a high-pressure purge system that isolates the pressure regulator from the purged volume by means of a shutoff valve. Three valves are required: a purge gas inlet valve, a high-pressure vent valve, and a high-pressure isolation valve.
Isolated line
a clear field, dark line. Also called island.
Isolated space
a dark field, clear line. Also called opening. Also see contact, trench, and window.
Isolation
an electrical separation of regions of silicon on a wafer; for example, boron diffusion to isolate a transistor. Also see dielectric isolation.
Isolation gap
in ceramic packages, the metal-free space between two metallized areas.
Isolation of gases
the National Fire Codes use the terms, "separated," "segregated," and "isolated" when referring to storage of hazardous materials. Isolation is defined by National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 49 as "storage away from incompatible materials in a different storage room or in a separate and detached building located at a safe distance."
Isolation valve
1: in cluster tools, a mechanical component used at an interface plane to permit environmental isolation between the transport module and an attached module. There is always one isolation valve under the control of the transport module. 2: in the pressure testing of fluorocarbon tube fittings, a valve used to separate high-temperature fluid from high-pressure fluid, or to separate the samples from each other.
Item
a data element within a message. NOTE-An item is an information packet that has a length and an item format defined by the first two, three, or four bytes of the item.
Item format
a code used to identify the data type of an item (a data element within a message). NOTE-Bits 3 through 8 of the item header define the format of the data that follows.
Item header
the first two, three, or four bytes of an item.
IYM
Integrated Yield Management. See yield.
IYV
Integrated Yield Vehicle. See yield.
|
| Deutsch | Contact | Newsletter | Sitemap | Search | Text version | Glossary
