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Package
a container for a die (often plastic or ceramic) that provides protection and connection to the next higher level of integration.
Package warpage
the loss of planarity of a plastic molded surface, excluding protrusions and intrusions. In semiconductor packages, warpage is measured by the warp factor.
Packed valve
a shutoff or metering type of valve designed to prevent the gas it controls from escaping to the atmosphere. The escape of gas is prevented by means of a stem that rotates or moves within its seal material during actuation. The dynamic seal interface separates the medium from the atmosphere.
Packet
a physical division of a message used by the message-transfer protocol. NOTE-Each packet contains data and control information. Also see message protocol.
Packless valve
a shutoff or metering valve designed to prevent escape of the gas by a static seal, such as a diaphragm or bellows, that isolates the controlled gas from the atmosphere.
Pad
see bonding pads.
Pad ox
ee pad oxide.
Pad oxide
a thin, thermally grown oxide that separates adjacent layers (one typically being silicon nitride) on a silicon wafer. Also called pad ox.
Pad-array carrier
see ball grid array.
Paddle
1: a silicon carbide structure on a diffusion furnace that supports a sled. 2: in cluster tools, a blade transport module end effector designed to support the wafer.
Pad-grid array
see ball grid array.
PAL
see programmable array logic.
Panel
an area of a safety sign having a distinctive background color that is different from other areas, or that is clearly delineated by a line border or margin. There may be up to three panels per sign, key word, message, and symbol panels.
Parallelism tolerance
in plastic and metal wafer carriers, the minimum and maximum dimension allowance for the opposite sides of the pockets of a wafer carrier to vary in relation to their distance from the crossbar end of the wafer carrier.
Parametric test
wafer-level testing of discrete devices such as transistors and resistors.
Parasitic extraction
Applies to software that analyzes a layout database and determines the capacitance (and sometimes resistance) of the metal interconnections. These values, which are considered parasitic because they are determined by the placement of the devices rather than as part of the design schematics, are then used in logic or circuit simulations.
Parasitics
unwanted circuit components (for example, capacitors or resistors) present in a design.
Parathesia
a sensation of prickling, tingling, or creeping on the skin for which there is no objective cause.
Parent
in object-oriented programming systems, a level that precedes another level within the model hierarchy. Also see inheritance.
Pareto analysis
a problem-solving technique in which all potential problem areas or sources of variation are ranked according to contribution.
PARLY
Parameter Limited Yield. See yield.
Parser
a program used to determine the syntactic structure of a natural language or of a computer language by decomposition into smaller units that have an established interrelationship.
Particle
:1: a minute quantity of solid or liquid matter. Also see dirt. 2: in the manufacture of photolithographic pellicles, material that can be distinguished from the film, whether on the film surface or embedded in the film. 3: the replating step in which a catalytic material, often a palladium or gold compound, is absorbed on a surface to act as sites for initial stages of deposition.
Particle beam
a concentrated, nearly unidirectional flow of particles.
Particles per Wafer Pass (PWP)
the average number of particles added to a wafer as it passes through a tool, expressed in particles per wafer pass or in particles/cm2/pass.
Particulate
1 n : discrete particle of dirt or other material. Also see dirt. 2 n (dust) : discrete particle of material that can usually be removed by (nonetching) cleaning. 3 adj : describes material in small, discrete pieces; anything that is not a fiber and has an aspect ratio of less than 3 to 1. Examples are dusts, fumes, smokes, mists, and fogs.
Particulate contamination
on a semiconductor wafer, a particle or particles on the surface of the wafer.
Parting line protrusions or intrusions
in the manufacture of plastic semiconductor packages, the plastic excesses or losses that exist at the parting line between the top and bottom cavities after normal molding, deflashing, trimming, and singulation processing. Also see protrusion.
Partition coefficient
the quotient of the solubility of a compound in octanol and its solubility in water.
Partitioning
dividing a system into suitable subsystems so that either the design or physical layout of the system can be realized.
Pascal
the pressure or stress of one newton per square meter, equal to 1.000 X bar or 0.100 dynes per square meter.
PASIC
Power ASIC. A versatile power BiMOS process technology for use in the manufacture of semicustom and ASIC circuits for power applications. This technology can support voltages in the 60-100V range and currents of 5-10A. Sometimes referred to as "intelligent power".
Passivation
deposition of a scratch-resistant material, such as silicon nitride and/or silicon dioxide, to prevent deterioration of electronic properties caused by water, ions, and other external contaminants. The final deposition layer in processing. Also called overcoat and cap deposition.
Passive component
An electrical component without gain or current-switching capability. Commonly used when referring to resistors, capacitors and inductors.
Passive Data Collection (PDC)
an activity in which the performance of a process or piece of equipment is sampled while it is running in normal production mode. This activity is used to evaluate normal production mode. This activity is used to emulate normal production without making tweaks or adjustments to the process beyond those normally made during production.
Passive devices
semiconductor devices that have passive function, such as capacitors and resistors. Contrast active devices.
Passive equipment
equipment that is loaded or unloaded by the active equipment. Contrast active equipment.
Passive transfer
in automated material movement, a transfer that involves one active and one passive partner. During a passive transfer, the active partner retains control of the transfer envelope during the entire physical transfer.
Passive transfer partner
in automated material movement, a transfer partner that takes no part in the physical micro level transfer, moving nothing within the transfer envelope. NOTE-This term refers to the physical micro level transfer phase only. Setup activities prior to the transfer may be performed by a passive transfer partner; for example, a port door may be opened during setup phase. Contrast with active transfer partner.
Pattern deformation
in dielectrically isolated (DI) wafers, a microscopic defect associated with missing or indented tub features of 4 microns or more
Pattern dimension precision and accuracy
critical dimension (CD) variation and deviation of written pattern from designed value.
Pattern distortion ratio
in silicon wafers, the absolute magnitude of the quotient of (1) the difference between the width of the pattern on the substrate and the width of the pattern on the top surface of the epitaxial layer, and (2) the thickness of the epitaxial layer.
Pattern shift ratio
in silicon wafers, the lateral distance between the center point of the pattern on the surface of the substrate and the center point of the pattern on the surface of the epitaxial layer, divided by the epitaxial layer thickness.
Pattern step height
in silicon wafers, the difference in vertical position of the diffused (buried layer) surface and the original substrate surface, after removal of oxide.
Pattern stitching accuracy
position errors at the stitching boundary of writing fields, stripes, and shots.
Pattern surface
in flat panel display, that surface of a substrate that has, or will have, patterns applied.
Pattern, functional
all of a class of images required for a specific fabrication step that employs a resist coating. In a typical base-oxide removal step for an integrated circuit, includes all base windows, resistor windows, anode windows, base test patterns, and alignment marks that appear on the integrated circuit layout.
Pattern, test
an image that appears on a photomask for registration or evaluation.
Patterning
the process of photolithography; formation of geometrical shapes by the use of photosensitive resists, masks, and etching techniques.
PBET
see performance-based equipment training.
PBX
Private Branch EXchange. A telecommunications switching facility or service located on the customer's premises.
PC
Personal Computer, usually an IBM PC or compatible. Also an acronym for Production Control in a manufacturing organization. Can also refer to Printed Circuit when referencing printed circuit boards (PCBs).
PCB
or PC board see printed circuit board.
PDC
see passive data collection.
PDLY or PLY
Photo Defect Limited Yield. See defect, lithography and yield.
PDSA
see peroxydisulfuric acid.
Pearson distribution
the probability distribution of a random variable with density function , where B represents the beta function, and are positive real numbers, and 0<<1. Also called Pearson Type 1 distribution and beta distribution.
PEB
see post-exposure bake.
PECVD
see plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition.
Pedestal
a support pillar axially symmetric to the wafer transport position in a process or cassette module.
Peeling
any separation of a plated, vacuum deposited, or clad metal layer from the base metal of a leadframe, lead, pin, heatsink, or seal ring, from an underplate, or from a refractory metal on a ceramic package. Peeling exposes the underlying material. Also called flaking. Contrast blister metal.
Pellicle
a thin, optically transparent film, typically of nitrocellulose, attached to and supported by a frame, and attached to a photomask (or photomask reticle). Its purpose is to seal out contaminants and reduce printed defects caused by contamination in the image plane of an optical exposure system.
Percent perfect beads
in an ion-exchange resin, the number of perfect beads per 100 total beads.
Perfect bead
in an ion-exchange resin, an uncracked, spherical bead that exhibits a whole appearance and that shows no signs of fragmentation when viewed at 20X magnification.
Performance node
A performance node is a control parameter which has limited influence on reliability but which does impact the yield, productivity, or other set of economic indices associated with the product or technology. See control parameter, critical node, and characterization node.
Performance objective
a statement in education and training that defines the type of performance, condition, and standard (criterion) of an intended instructional activity, whether it be in a course or a single unit of instruction.
Performance optimization
Very powerful, advanced, multi-dimensional optimization algorithms are used for optimizing circuit performance using many different behavior criteria.
Performance-Based Equipment Training (PBET, P-BET)
a training technique developed by SEMATECH to help improve effectives of equipment training and to reduce instructional development time. PBET is based on front-end analysis to ensure that qualified participants are able to reach mastery of job skills as described in clearly stated and measurable learning objectives.
Periodicity
see pitch.
Peripheral chip
1: crystallographic damage along the circumference of a wafer. 2: on a wafer surface, shallow crater formed in the periphery of the specimen through conchoidal fracture and resultant spalling. Also called flake chip or surface chip.
Peripheral indent
localized deviation from an otherwise smooth peripheral profile that shows no sign of conchoidal fracture.
Permeability, film
see film permeability.
Permeation leak
in the measurement of mass flow controller leak rates, a leak caused by the movement of helium through gaskets, O-rings, polymers, or other materials through which helium can diffuse. Also called diffusion leak.
Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)
1: a time-weighted average exposure limit (typically 8 hours) or a ceiling exposure limit for employees to any material listed in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Regulation 29 CFR, Air Contaminants. 2: the maximum permitted eight-hour time-weighted average concentration of an airborne contaminant. The maximum permitted time-weighted average exposures to be used are those published in 29 CFR 1910, Subpart Z.
Peroxydisulfuric Acid (PDSA)
a chemical used with sulfuric acid to clean wafers. When the two chemicals are combined, they become an aggressive cleaning solution referred to as "piranha." PDSA is classified as an ultrapure oxidant. NOTE-Other oxidants used instead of PDSA to create a piranha solution are hydrogen peroxide and ozone.
PERT chart
a graphic tool used as part of the program evaluation review technique (PERT) to show interdependencies and critical path of a project and to display project status.
Petri net
an abstract model of information handling that shows static and dynamic properties of a system; usually represented as a graph with two vertices called places and transitions, and connected by edges. Markers, called tokens, indicate the dynamic behavior of the network.
PFMEA or FMEA
Potential Failure Mode and Effects Analysis.
PG Tape
Pattern-Generation Tape. Computerized instructions used to build photomasks.
PGA
see pin grid array.
pH
the value, ranging from 0 to 14, that represents the acidity or alkalinity of an aqueous solution. Values less than 7 are acidic, and those greater than 7 are alkaline.
Phase Shifting Mask (PSM)
a mask that uses regions of shifted phase to improve stepper imaging performance. Resolution is improved to some extent, but it is generally viewed as a technique for improving depth of focus. Also called phase shift mask.
Phosphine (PH3)
a highly toxic, flammable, and colorless gas with the odor of decaying fish. In high concentrations, it is pyrophoric (capable of igniting spontaneously when exposed to air). Phosphine is used for the n-type doping of epitaxial and silicon dioxide films and for ion implantation. It also is used in the production of gallium arsenide phosphide films used to fabricate light-emitting diodes and as a phosphorus source for applications of both chemical deposition and ion implantation.
Phosphoric acid (H3PO4)
1: an oxygen acid of phosphorus, in the form of an aqueous solution. 2: a heavy and viscous acid used in many etch formulations, particularly those for silicon nitride and beryllium.
Phosphorus (P)
a poisonous, nonmetallic chemical element that is self-igniting in air. Phosphorus is the n-type dopant commonly used for some diffusions in standard bipolar integrated circuits.
Phosphorus oxychloride (POCl3)
a poisonous, fuming, colorless liquid with a pungent aroma, used as a source of phosphorus for the doping of silicon.
Photo lifting
see resist lifting.
Photocoupled interface
a parallel input/output interface connected without contact by means of a photocoupled device.
Photocoupler
See optical coupler.
Photolithography
see lithography.
Photomask
a structure comprising functional pattern images produced on a film, plastic, or glass-based material and accurately positioned so as to be useful for selective exposure of a photoresist coating. Contrast mask.
Photomask, defect
see defect, photomask.
Photomask, negative
a photomask having an opaque background and transparent images.
Photomask, positive
a photomask having transparent background and opaque images.
Photomask, reverse polarity
a photomask that maintains the same geometric orientation of the array on its surface as that of a referenced photomask, but is of the opposite polarity, as a correct positive mask to a correct negative mask. A correct negative mask is a reverse polarity mask of a correct positive mask.
Photomasking
1: an operation in which patterns or images are produced on a glass plate to create a mask. 2: the practice of photolithography. 3: the name of an area or a group that performs photolithography.
Photophobia
abnormal sensitivity to light, especially by the eyes.
Photoplate
a transparent substrate that has an unpatterned opaque coating used for making photomasks or reticles.
Photoresist (PR)
a radiation-sensitive material that, when properly applied to a variety of substrates and then properly exposed and developed, masks portions of the substrate with a high degree of integrity. Also see resist.
Photoresist lifting
see resist lifting.
Physical interlock
mechanical connection through which interlock conditions are verified.
Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD)
a process whereby films of material, usually metals, are deposited by physical means, for example, evaporation and sputtering.
Picosecond (ps)
10-12 second.
PID
see process-induced defect.
Pigtail
an assembly of piping used to connect a gas cylinder to piping and other components that are rigidly attached to a building structure. A pigtail can include one or more piping lines, as well as valves and other components, and normally provides sufficient flexibility to accommodate a slight variation in the location of the cylinder valve. The end of the pigtail that connects to the cylinder terminates in a Compressed Gas Association (CGA) connector. [SEMI Chemicals/Gases, Vol. 1, 1990 (no longer in print)] Also see CGA connection cap or plug.
Pilot
a wafer that is sent ahead of the parent lot to ensure that specifications are met for the remaining wafers.
Pin
in plastic and metal wafer carriers, part of a wafer carrier that enters the hole or slot of another wafer carrier for alignment when wafers are transferred.
Pin and hole center distance from pocket center line
in plastic and metal wafer carriers, the distance from the center line of either the pin or the hole to the closest pocket center line.
Pin Grid Array (PGA)
a package or interconnection arrangement that features plug-in type electrical terminals arranged in a matrix format or an array.
Pin offset
in cofired ceramic packages, the variation in position from the center line of the pin to the center line of the braze pad to which it is mounted.
Pin sweep
in cofired ceramic packages, pin movement, measured with respect to a datum perpendicular to the top or bottom of the package, that passes through the designed midpoint of the pin where the pin is attached to the package (for example, pin grid arrays). The movement is viewed from the side of the package, not the ends.
Pin tweeze
in cofired ceramic packages, pin movement, measured with respect to a datum perpendicular to the top or bottom of the package, that passes through the designed midpoint of the pin where the pin is attached to the package (for example, pin grid arrays). The movement is viewed from the ends of the package, not the side, and the pin movement is from the edges of the package in toward the center line of the package.
Pinhole
1: minute defect or void in a film, mask, or resist, usually the result of contaminants. 2: a small opening that extends through a covering, such as a resist coating or an oxide layer on a wafer.
Pin-through hole
a class of packages or modules soldered into plated-through holes within the second-level package or printed circuit board.
Pin-to-pin separation
in cofired ceramic packages, the distance between adjacent pins, when measured from their center lines at the point of connection to the package.
Piping component(s)
an individual component or combination of components used in a fluid or gas system for transfer of media.
Piranha
a reactive etch solution composed of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to remove organic contaminants from a silicon wafer or a film such as SiO2.
Pit
1: in a wafer surface, a depression in a wafer surface that has steeply sloped sides which meet the surface in a distinguishable manner, in contrast to the rounded sides of a dimple. Also see slip and dislocation. 2: in semiconductor packages, plastic or ceramic, or in the leadframes, a shallow depression or crater. The bottom of the depression must be visible in order for the term to apply. A pit is formed during the component manufacture. Contrast chip. 3: in flat panel display substrates, a small indentation on the glass substrate surface.
Pitch
the distance between a point on an image and a point on the corresponding image in an adjacent functional pattern that lies in either a row or column on a photomask or reticle. Also called periodicity and center-to-center.
Pitch error
the difference between the measured pitch and the specified pitch. Also called skewness.
Place and route
The act of placing the physical representations of the circuit functions, either as macro blocks or as rows of standard cells. The signal paths are then routed on the interconnect layers. Currently, two layers of routing are used, with three layers being the next step.
Placement
the act of determining the exact position of a logic device on a chip/MCM/board.
Placement tolerance
the maximum misplacement of a cassette or container by a material transport system on a tool for which the tool will operate properly.
Planarity
see coplanarity and lead coplanarity.
Planarization
1: a process that smooths the contours of the wafer surface by minimizing the step heights. 2: minimizing the difference in depth of the test probe pin with respect to the bond pads of a die.
Planktonic cells
in determining surface associated biofilms of ultrapure water distribution systems, floating cells found in the bulk fluid phase.
Plasma
ionized gas used to remove resist, to etch, or to deposit various layers onto a wafer. Also see dry plasma etch.
Plasma ashing
A variant of plasma etching, used specifically for removal of photoresist. A plasma of oxygen ions is created and these ions react with the oxygen and carbon which make up photoresist to create water vapor and carbon dioxide. The photoresist is thus burned away or ashed, not so much because of high temperature, like in a fire, but because the oxygen is made particularly reactive when it becomes a charged ion in the plasma.
Plasma etch
see dry plasma etch.
Plasma etching
Also called dry etching. This involves using a plasma to etch a semiconductor layer. The plasma contains highly excited molecules (reactive ions) which easily react chemically. There is also a physical bombardment mechanism in that the ions are accelerated towards the wafer with an electric field. Plasma etching is usually anisotropic, which means that the etching takes place in only one direction (line of sight). This is a key advantage over wet etching with chemicals
Plasma immersion
ion implantation direct ion implantation from a plasma ambient.
Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD)
a deposition process in which plasma is used to lower the temperature required to deposit film onto a wafer.
Plasma-enhanced TEOS oxide deposition a deposition
process in which tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) is used as a silicon source to deposit silicon dioxide on a wafer surface.
Plate, photographic
see photoplate.
Platform
The frame of the machine, including robotic handling apparatus, needed to feed wafers from their loading station into the individual process modules in which the processing will occur. Cluster tools are machines in which more than one process chamber is mounted on the platform, so that several wafers can be processed at a time (with identical or different processes).
Platinum/iridium (Pt/Ir)
in scanning tunneling microscopy, platinum and iridium alloy wire that is used to make tunneling tips.
PLCC
Plastic Leaded Chip Carrier. A leaded quad package--a replacement for the plastic DIP (dual in-line package) in surface-mount applications. External connections consist of leads around all four sides of the package.
Plug
a special deposition that fills small windows or vias for electrical connection between two layers.
PMOS
P-channel MOS. A type of MOSFET where the semiconductor channel is doped P-type. In such a MOSFET, the current between source and drain is primarily due to the motion of holes. Compare NMOS.
Pn junction
in a semiconductor material, the point at which the conductivity changes from p-type to n-type.
P-N junction
The basic structure formed by the intimate contact of P-type and N-type semiconductors. The important characteristic of a P-N junction is that it will conduct electric current with one polarity of applied voltage (forward bias) but will not conduct with the opposite polarity (reverse bias).
PNP transistor
A semiconductor junction transistor with a P-type collector and emitter, and an N-type base. In such a device, the current amplification arises from the injection of holes from the emitter into the base, and their subsequent collection in the collector. See bipolar transistor and complementary. Compare NPN transistor.
Pocked bead
in an ion-exchange resin, a bead that exhibits a surface depression when viewed at 20X magnification.
Pocket
the entire area occupied by a wafer in a wafer carrier, including the entire wafer plane.
Pocket center line in plastic and metal wafer carriers, the imaginary line that bisects each pocket in a wafer carrier.
Pocket center plane
in the design of multiple wafer carriers, the imaginary plane that bisects each pocket and is parallel to datum A.
Pocket depth
in plastic and metal wafer carriers, the distance from the pocket flat to its own pocket nose.
Pocket flat
in a wafer carrier, the width of the pocket along the vertical walls at its narrowest distance.
Pocket nose
in plastic and metal wafer carriers, the top of the material between adjacent pockets.
Pocket nose radius
in plastic and metal wafer carriers, the radius on the pocket nose.
Pocket size
1: in plastic or metal wafer carriers, the distance between opposite pocket flats. 2: in quartz or high-temperature wafer carriers, the diameter of a circle coincident to the bottom of all wafer slots (grooves for wafers) in a wafer position.
Pocket spacing
in plastic and metal wafer carriers, the distance between pocket center lines.
Pocket width
in plastic and metal wafer carriers, the greatest distance across a pocket.
Pod
a box having a standard mechanical interface (SMIF).
Point defect
a localized crystal defect such as a lattice vacancy, interstitial atom, or substitutional impurity. Contrast with localized light scatterer.
Point Of Use (POU)
1 n: in gas source control equipment (GSCE), the manufacturing tool that uses the product. POU is distinguished from the GSCE by having its own design criteria, a separate function, and a physical separation from the GSCE. 2 adj : refers to tool-specific air emissions abatement equipment; for example, thermal oxidizers are used in some facilities to control volatile organic carbon emissions from lithography track equipment. Can also refer to a gas supply mechanism located at the tool that avoids the risk associated with transporting and piping hazardous gases such as silane.
Point-like object
in the measurement of photolithographic instruments, a circular or square form in the image, the diameter or width of which is equal to the practical resolution.
Point-to-point wafer transfer
in cluster tools, the exchange of a wafer between a particular transport module and a particular port resource defined by a sequence of wafer exchange steps.
Poison, class A
a classification of extremely dangerous poisons such as poisonous gases or liquids of such a nature that a very small amount of the gas or vapor of the liquid mixed with air is dangerous to life.
Poison, class B
a classification of liquid, solid, paste, or semisolid substances, other than class A poisons or irritating materials, known or presumed on the basis of animal tests to be so toxic to man as to afford a hazard to health during transportation.
Poisson distribution
a probability distribution, the mean and variance of which have a common value k, and the frequency of which is , for x=0, 1, 2,....
Polar transmission
a method of transmitting teletypewriter signals when current flows in opposite directions. Direct current flowing in one direction identifies the marking signal, and an equal current flowing in the opposite direction identifies the spacing signal.
Polarization
in optics, the term used to describe the orientation of the electric field vector in an electromagnetic wave.
Polarized light
in optics, light that exhibits different properties in different directions at right angles to the line of propagation.
Poly
see polycrystalline silicon.
Polycide
a material formed by reaction of polysilicon with a metal, most often applied in the gate structure of a metal-oxide semiconductor transistor when polysilicon gate electrode is reacted with a deposited refractor metal layer to reduce the electrical resistance of the gate.
Polycrystalline
describes a form of semiconductor material made up of randomly oriented crystallites and containing large-angle grain boundaries, twin boundaries, or both. Contrast single crystal. Also see amorphous silicon.
Polycrystalline silicon (poly)
1: a nonporous form of silicon made up of randomly oriented crystallites or domains, including glassy or amorphous silicon layers. [ASTM F399-88] 2: silicon formed by chemical vapor deposition from a silicon source gas or other methods and having a structure that contains large-angle grain boundaries, twin boundaries, or both. Also called poly and polysilicon. Contrast amorphous silicon and single crystal.
Polymorphism
the ability to hide different implementations behind a common interface, simplifying the communications among objects. For example, defining a unique print method for each kind of document in a system would allow any document to be printed by sending the message print, without concern for how that method was actually carried out for a given document.
Polysilicon (poly)
see polycrystalline silicon.
Polysilicon haze
a high density of submicrometer particles deposited on polysilicon film during the polysilicon deposition process.
Polystyrene latex sphere
consistently sized and characterized spheres that represent particles on the wafer surface, but may not be indicative of actual particles encountered in the fab environment. These spheres are used to calibrate the particle counter response curve.
Population
a group of devices that have exactly the same properties; that is, all members are indistinguishable, one from another.
Porous surface
in cofired ceramic packages, an uncompacted ceramic surface often showing fine pits.
Port
1: a terminal of a semiconductor device or component at which information can be extracted or inserted. 2: in automated material movement, a point on the equipment at which a change of equipment ownership of a transfer object occurs, including any dedicated mechanisms that either prepare for, facilitate, or are capable of interfering with the transfer. Also see tool.
Port assembly
an assembly of the port plate and port door that includes the guide rails, registration pins, latch pins, latch cavities, and box hold-down latches.
Port door
a door for the port plate opening that provides a mating surface for the bottom of the box door when the box is in place on the port plate. The port door contains the registration pins and the box door latch pins.
Port plate
a horizontal mating surface for the base of the box that provides a seal surface to the bottom surface of the box perimeter. The port plate contains the guide rails and the latch pins.
Port resource server
in a cluster tool control system, a server associated with an individual attached module at an individual interface plane, which provides the services necessary to perform point-to-point wafer transfers between the transport module associated with that interface plane and the attached module.
Position reference point
in cluster tools, a location defined in an attached module's local coordinate system, through which an end effector will pass during a wafer exchange sequence.
Positive mask
see photomask, positive.
Post-etch
see linewidth, etched.
Post-exposure bake (PEB)
a bake after expose and prior to develop to diffuse the photoactive component of the resist; minimizes standing waves and ensures a clean develop.
Post-metallization
in pressed ceramic pin grid array packages, the process by which metallization is applied to a body (substrate) after the body has been fully sintered.
Post-process Treatment Chamber (PTC)
the chamber(s) within the process equipment in which wafers are treated after actual wafer processing (for example, a post-process rinse and dry chamber).
Potassium hydroxide (KOH)
a strong, poisonous, and corrosive base that absorbs carbon dioxide from the air.
POU
see point of use.
Power BiMOS
Circuits with the capability of interfacing higher voltages and current levels than conventional BiMOS circuits. See BiMOS. An advanced wafer process that combines analog, digital and power capabilities in a single IC.
Power control circuit
System power supply control functions and output drive, allowing electronic systems to do actual work for such diverse applications as motors, video, and computer disk drives.
Power discrete
See discrete device and intelligent discrete.
Power dissipation (PH)
in the measurement of the thermal resistance of a semiconductor device, the heating power applied to the device to cause a junction to specified reference point (possibly case) temperature difference. PH is measured in watts. Also see integrated circuit and package.
Power management
design techniques that allow power to be controlled or reduced to achieve specific design goals. These could include overall chip dissipation or local affects such as electromigration or voltage drop.
Power MOSFET
A MOSFET circuit capable of handling current ratings of more than 1 ampere.
Power transistor
A transistor capable of being used at current ratings of more than 1 ampere.
PQFP
Plastic Quad Flat Pack. A type of plastic package that has leads on all four sides.
Practical resolution
the minimum linewidth that reproduces the mask (or drafting) dimensions faithfully.
Practical use
in the measurement of photolithographic instruments, the conditions of photoprocess, image geometries, etc., that are required for the intended use of the instrument.
Precipitate
1: within a silicon lattice, a region of silicon oxide frequently manifested as an etch pit. Also see crystal lattice. 2: in a gallium arsenide wafer, a localized concentration of dopant that is insoluble. Precipitate is formed during crystal growth and during any process in which the temperature is sufficient to provide the necessary impurity mobility.
Precision
the measure of natural variation of repeated measurements.
Preclean carrier
a plastic vessel used in wet operations to hold wafers.
Pre-epitaxial treatment
in sapphire substrates, the process of etching material from a variety of substrates prior to deposition. Hydrogen or another etchant is used for this purpose.
Pre-etch
see linewidth, PR.
Preferential etch
in the manufacture of silicon wafers, a selective etch that etches regions of different crystal strain or conductivity at different rates, used to delineate crystal defects or regions of differing conductivity on wafer surfaces.
Preform
in metal lid/preform assembly, a solder material of defined volume that is attached to the base material.
Premium wafer
a silicon wafer suitable for particle counting, ion contamination monitoring, and measuring pattern resolution in the photolithography process.
Pre-process Treatment Chamber (PTC)
the chamber(s) within the process equipment in which wafers are treated before actual wafer processing (for example, a pre-process wafer degassing chamber).
Pressure decay method
leak detection determined through pressure loss, over a period of time, within a vessel or piping system.
Pressure reducing valve
see regulator.
Pressure-containing envelope
that part of a component or specimen that contains pressurized media.
Primary attribute (or secondary attribute)
the least significant bit of the lower message ID in the header that indicates whether a block belongs to a primary or a secondary message.
Primary containment
the first level of containment, that is, the inside portion of the container that comes into immediate contact on its inner surface with the material being contained. Also see secondary containment.
Primary fiducial
a flat or notch on a semiconductor wafer oriented with respect to a specified crystal plane and used for orientation or alignment of the wafer during device or circuit processing.
Primary flow standard
in the calibration of mass flow devices, a device or system that measures flow using a method based on some or all of the primary measurements of length, time, temperature, volume, pressure, or mass.
Primary message
a complete unit of communication in one direction; an odd-numbered message in which bit 1 of the lower message ID is set to 1. NOTE-A primary message is the first message of a transaction.
Primary orientation flat
the flat of longest length on the wafer, oriented such that the chord is parallel with a specified low index crystal plane. Also called major flat. Also see secondary flat.
Printed circuit board (PCB or PC board)
a composite of organic and inorganic material, with external and internal conducting or low-resistivity paths that allow mechanical support and electrical connection of components.
Probability
in equipment reliability, the likelihood that a given event will occur.
Probability of failure
see fault probability.
Probability plots
a graphical method of analyzing real data to check for normal distribution.
Probe
an instrument used to make electrical contact with an area on a die so voltage or current can be applied to test for functionality.
Probe card
A custom made card with needles (probes) that have been manufactured to line up with the contact pads of a specific chip circuit. The probe card is brought into contact with each die (chip) on a wafer (using a prober) so that the die can be electrically tested before packaging.
Probe damage
1: on a substrate, local damage caused by mechanical probing or measurement. Probe damage consists of pitted areas that have spacing equal to that of the probe array. 2: in gallium arsenide technology, any damage to the wafer surface caused by mechanical probing or measurement. Also see probe and crack.
Prober
a piece of hardware that allows a collection of probes to be brought into contact with the die on a wafer for the purpose of testing an integrated circuit.
Procedure
1: the course of action, or the description of a course of action, taken for the solution of a problem. 2: a step-by-step description of how to perform an operation or process. 3: a named portion of a computer program that performs a specific task.
Process
1 n : a unique, finite course of events defined by purpose or effect and achieved under given conditions. 2 v : to perform operations on data in process. 3 adj : fabrication equipment, inspection equipment, and cassette stage equipment used in semiconductor manufacturing. 4 n : a major group of sequential operations in the manufacture of an integrated circuit. Examples are E-beam lithography, thermal deposition, and reactive ion etch.
Process capability (Cp)
for a process under statistical process control, the ratio of the tolerance limits (specification window or upper specification minus the lower specification) of a process to the natural variation of that process (estimated by six times the standard deviation of the process output). (The "p" part of the abbreviation is written with a subscript lowercase letter.)
Process capability index (Cpk)
for a process under statistical process control, a measure of process performance similar to process capability (Cp), but adjusted for any variation of the average process output from the stated target value for the process. In a typical process, process capability index is at best equal to process capability, but most commonly, it is less than process capability. A process capability index of at least 1.33 is a desirable objective. (The "pk" part of the abbreviation is written with subscript lowercase letters.)
Process characterization
1: for a process under statistical process control, the sequence of steps performed to provide information about the manufacturing capability and natural variability in a portion of the manufacturing process. 2: in particle counting, the set of events in which a single wafer or batch of wafers is cycled through the tool so an intentional process/chemical change is introduced to the surface or substrate of the wafer; the purpose is to determine particle contributions from the mechanical and process aspects of the process tool.
Process complexity
the number of steps from wafer start through probe/sort.
Process control
the ability to maintain specifications of product and equipment during the manufacturing operations.
Process flow
the sequence of operations and processes necessary to produce a wafer of functional die.
Process gas
in the calibration of mass flow devices, the principal gas that the user requires the device to control or measure.
Process module
in a cluster tool, a module that accepts or presents a single wafer inside the module for intratool transport (wafer movement inside the cluster tool).
Process module controller
a virtual semiconductor device that controls the operation of a cluster tool process module.
Process outlet valve
a valve on the low-pressure side of a regulator, used to turn a regulated gas supply on or off (required by the Occupational Safety and Health Association [OSHA]).
Process panel systems
see gas source control equipment.
Process pressure
regulator outlet pressure, or that pressure measured by the outlet gauge.
Process program
in a cluster tool control system, a set of process module specific instructions that control wafer processing on that process module.
Process synthesis
the procedure of gathering knowledge on fabrication processes for semiconductors, organizing this knowledge into models, applying and combining models to optimize fabrication, and using the models to identify needs, to direct research and development, and to innovate both devices and processes. The reduction of process variability is the major goal.
Process time
the length of time required to process one wafer or one batch (for sequential and batch tools, respectively) at a given workstation or through an entire process.
Process unit
in communications and control of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, the material that is typically processed as a unit using a single run command, a process program, and so on. Common process units are wafers, cassettes, magazines, and boats.
Process zone
several processes performed until an acceptable holding point is reached. Approximately 24 hours are required to complete one process zone. Examples are n-well, active area, and passivation resist.
Processed image
in the measurement of photolithographic instruments, any single geometric form that appears in the realized pattern or topographical variation of a material surface or material constitution, and that is obtained by a physical process of pattern transference from an optical image.
Process-induced defect (PID)
defect(s) added to the wafer as a result of a processing step. The PID wafer undergoes the same process sequence as a product wafer. PID wafer data is a closer approximation of actual process defect contributions than particles per wafer pass (PWP) wafer data.
Processing cycle
in communications and control of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, a sequence during which all of the material contained in a typical process unit is processed. The processing cycle is often used as a measure of action or time.
Product
1: in equipment reliability, any unit intended to become a functional semiconductor device. This definition includes functional engineering devices. 2: in gas source control equipment, the gas phase in the cylinder.
Production test
a set of test vectors and a test program applied using a set of test hardware and optimized to most economically determine whether an integrated circuit contains manufacturing defects.
Productive state
one of the six equipment states or conditions; a period (productive time) during which equipment is performing its intended function.
Productive time
the total time during which equipment is performing its intended function in producing a product. Also see productive state.
Profilometer
1: an instrument for measuring the topographical profile of a surface. 2: An instrument for measuring the roughness of a surface by means of a diamond-pointed stylus attached to a coil in an electric field; movement of the stylus across the surface induces a current proportional to the surface roughness.
Program Evaluation Review Technique (PERT)
a project planning and management technique that displays all activities on a project so their interdependencies and the critical path are shown. This technique is useful for highly complex technology development projects. Also see PERT chart.
Programmable Array Logic (PAL)
a network of programmable electronic gates used to create a custom logic circuit.
Programmable factory
a factory equipped with computer-controlled equipment to provide rapid software-based reconfigurations of process capabilities, equipment capabilities, and product recipes.
Projection on a semiconductor package (plastic or ceramic), leadframe, or preform, an irregularly raised portion of the surface indigenous to the parent materialContrast burr, foreign material, and fin.
Proof pressure
in a mass flow controller, the maximum gas pressure the device may be subjected to without permanent damage. Some adjustment may be necessary to make it meet its specified performance when returning to normal operating pressure.
Protective clothing
articles of apparel to prevent gases, vapors, liquids, and solids from contacting the skin and to prevent them from being inhaled or ingested. This clothing includes self-contained breathing apparatus.
Protrusion
1: in the manufacture of plastic semiconductor packages, the plastic excesses that remain after normal molding, deflashing, trimming, and singulation processing. Also called parting line protrusions or intrusions. 2: a surface defect on molded packages that consists of parent material. Also called top or bottom protrusions. Also see bubble, blister ceramic, blister metal, and projection. 3: the dambar section of a leadframe (tab) that remains after dambar trimming when the trimming punch is not totally in line with the lead shoulder by design or misalignment. Also called lead shoulder protrusions or intrusions and shoulder width intrusions.
Proximity X-ray
a lithography method using X-ray radiation through a mask close to, but not touching, the resist-coated surface of a silicon wafer.
PSM
see phase shifting mask.
Psychotropic
acting on, or influencing, the activity of the mind.
PTC
see post-process treatment chamber or pre-process treatment chamber.
PTM time
Product-To-Market time. The time required to develop a new product, measured from the initiation of a development program to product introduction.
P-type
1: describes a semiconductor material that has positively charged conductivity (a deficiency of electrons). 2: describes a variety of semiconductive material in which the majority current carriers are holes, formed when acceptor impurities are incorporated into the crystal structure in small concentrations.
P-type silicon
Silicon which has been doped with boron. This makes the electrical carriers which make up the electric current positively charged holes.
Pullback
on a semiconductor package, the linear distance between the edge of a cavity cut into a layer of ceramic and the first measurable glass or metallization layer interface coated onto the top surface of that layer. The total pullback may be the result of the high temperature processing required to manufacture the package or to coat the surface. It may also be the result of design considerations.
Pure water
water suitable for use in semiconductor processing because of the very small level of impurities. Resistivity in pure water is high because the conductive impurities are at a low level.
Purge Gas Inlet (PGI) valve
a valve dedicated to the introduction of purge gas into a purge manifold.
Purge manifold
a piping/valving system designed to replace an undesirable gas in a piping system or vessel with a desirable gas by venting the undesirable gas and subsequently introducing the desirable gas.
Purge volume
the internal volume of piping, valves, and other components to be purged of unwanted gas or vapor. The volume of a given system can include different portions of the system, depending upon the operation to be performed.
PVD
see physical vapor deposition.
PWM
Pulse-Width Modulation. A form of analog control in which the duration of digital pulses is varied analogously with the signal of interest.
PWP
see particles per wafer pass.
Pyramid
a structure displaying |111| facets that appears on surfaces after epitaxial growth. DISCUSSION-A pyramid originates at the interface of the substrate and the epi layer and is due to various imperfections at the beginning of epi growthAlso called growth hillock. Also see hillock and mound.
Pyrogenic steam
water vapor generated by combining hydrogen and oxygen in the furnace working chamber to produce high purity steam.
Pyrolysis
an irreversible chemical decomposition caused by heat, usually without oxidation.
Pyrophoric
describes materials that ignite spontaneously in air at or below 54.55C (1305F).
Pyrophoric gas
a gas that, upon contact with air or oxygen, will ignite spontaneously at or below a temperature of 54.5 degrees C (130 degrees F).
Pyrophoric material
a chemical that will spontaneously ignite in the air at or below a temperature of 54.5 degrees C (130 degrees F).
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