COMPLETED RESEARCH
RESEARCH ROADMAP FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF 300MM SEMICONDUCTOR FACILITIES
by
Saloni Merchant
ABSTRACT
The rapid growth of the semiconductor industry is in response to the explosive growth of products such as computers, automobiles, and pagers that incorporate semiconductor devices. In order to keep pace with this growing demand, semiconductor manufacturers have used strategies like reducing device size and increasing wafer diameter, in the past. In line with this trend, the semiconductor industry is currently poised to transition to a wafer size of 300mm. This change is expected to be the most challenging and expensive transition in the history of the semiconductor industry. While a considerable amount of research is being done to analyze the influence of this transition on 300mm processes and tools, little attention has been paid to studying its effect on the design and construction of 300mm facilities. This research analyzes the transition to 300mm wafer fabs from a construction standpoint, and determines the impact of these changes on the design and construction of 300mm facilities.
The study presents a concise report of the industryís need to transition to 300mm facilities and identifies key areas where this transition is likely to affect process and tool design. These areas are then analyzed to quantify their effect on fab design and construction. The research identifies the material handling system, process tools, utility consumption, process cleanliness requirements, and reduced project delivery time, as the key technology areas that influence construction in terms of space, layout, structure, materials, and schedule. A research roadmap is developed at the end of the study, identifying areas where future research will be needed to ensure a smooth and cost effective transition to the design and construction of 300mm facilities
