rus
Dr. Shiro Hara, Principal Research Scientist at Nanoelectronics Research Institute of National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Representative of Fab System Research Consortium
In recent years, the sensation of SEMICON Japan fairs has invariably been the demonstration of the operating microelectronic production at the exhibition booth of the Japanese Minimal Fab consortium. The Minimal Fab process modules look quite impressive, they have a typical ergonomic design and the same size, below average human height with a width of about 30 cm. The key feature of them is the ability to work outside cleanrooms. This unique process solution attracted the Russian specialists in the microelectronic industry; at the end of 2016, it was announced that a cooperation agreement had been signed between the National Research University of Electronic Technology (MIET), the Zelenograd Development Corporation and the Japanese Yokogawa and Tokyo Boeki companies, a members of the Fab System Research Consortium. In early June, a representative Japanese delegation, which included the inventor of the Minimal Fab concept, Dr. Shiro Hara from AIST (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology), arrived in Russia. At the Russian representative office of the Tokyo Boeki, Mr. Hara answered the questions of our journal.
Mr. Hara, how did the idea of creating the Minimal Fab system come about?
In nanotechnologies, especially in micro- and nanoelectronics, there is a big gap between the research and development stage and the introduction of new solutions into production. By analysing the reasons for that situation, I have come to the conclusion that the main problem is the huge amount of investments that are needed to implement new process solutions. Large funds are needed to not only purchase the process equipment but also create and maintain the necessary production infrastructure, first of all, clean rooms. Then I had the idea of creating a small-scale production system that would require minimal investment and could operate outside of any specially constructed clean rooms. One of the basic technologies to implement Minimal Fab was the Clean Localised Wafertransfer System concept developed by me in the 1990s, with the wafer being transported in a special Minimal Shuttle container, which eliminated the need to operate in clean rooms. The second fundamental solution was the use of 0.5 inch wafers due to which the equipment became very compact.
In 2004, I received funding in the amount of 300 million yen from AIST for the development of Minimal Fab. Later, with the support of the Government of Japan, the Minimal Fab Development Association was created, which included leading companies developing and producing equipment for microelectronics as well as universities, R&D centres, manufacturers of consumables, system designers etc.
How is the clean environment localised in Minimal Fab?
Each wafer is transported between process modules in a sealed container, where it is in a clean nitrogen atmosphere. Thus, its contact with air in the room and other "dirty" environments is prevented. Some studies have confirmed the reliability of the solution.
What are the Minimal Fab facilities for?
Minimal Fab can be used in research and development centres and for the industrial production of semiconductor devices. Due to lower cost compared to conventional equipment, Minimal Fab significantly reduces the investment threshold for entering the market. At the same time, there is the possibility of almost limitless increasing in production capacity by adding new lines. Thus, our equipment can be effectively used for R&D, prototyping and manufacturing of any batches, from single devices to mass production.
In the production of small orders, the time spent to prepare and adjust the equipment is particularly important. At Minimal Fab it is minimal due to the quick achievement of operating conditions and high automation. As a result, production time is reduced while productivity is maximised.
What infrastructure is needed to install the equipment?
Infrastructure requirements are minimal, i.e. power sources, nitrogen supply, compressed air supply, and a system for extracting gaseous waste. Liquid chemical reagents and water are placed in the process modules in special exchangeable containers. The reserve of this capacity is enough for a long time since the consumption of liquids for processing one wafer is calculated by drops, i.e. tenths of a milliliter.
What are the wafer requirements?
From the standpoint of the technical requirements, the wafers for Minimal Fab are no different from conventional wafers. Particular attention should be paid only to the fact that the wafer has a rounded edge. Since its area is small, the edge effects become increasingly important. A sharp and rough edge can become not only the cause of mechanical damage to the holders but also lead to accumulation of charge during plasma processes. The developed equipment makes it possible to produce integrated circuits, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and photonics devices on silicon, gallium arsenide, Ga2O3, sapphire, quartz, gallium nitride on sapphire, diamond.
Can several devices be placed on one wafer, and how are they separated?
Just as with conventional wafer, the number of devices depends on their size and the required batch size. A common mechanical technology is used to separate chips. Our consortium includes DISCO Corporation, the world leader in the segment of equipment for grinding, polishing and cutting plates. It has developed a unique solution with regeneration and repeated use of water inside the process module thus making it possible to carry out mechanical processing without connection to any centralised water preparation and supply system.
Are there any typical Minimal Fab systems?
The minimum equipment package includes five modules for lithographic processes. It can be used in combination with the conventional equipment. A package of 25 machines will allow arranging for the manufacture of transistors. Approximately 30 machines are needed for the manufacture of MEMS. A versatile package for the commercial output of semiconductor devices includes about 50 machines.
What types of devices can now be produced on Minimal Fab?
As the system develops and new modules appear, this list expands. In 2012, the first cantilever was manufactured, in 2013, the p-channel MOS transistor, in 2015, the CMOS chip, in 2016, the BGA chip.
Does using Minimal Fab make it possible to reduce the time and cost of developing new devices?
In using for research and development of conventional equipment, it takes about three years to create a commercial device. Using Minimal Fab allows you to reduce this period to six months. According to our forecasts, in the future, thanks to Minimal Fab, it will be possible to develop semiconductor devices 10 times faster than now.
Are there any solutions for advanced packaging?
We will certainly promote the development of advanced packaging by using the TSV technology and other solutions, which allow to combine in one device, for example, logics with MEMS or power modules. Appropriate systems are about 90% complete. According to our estimates, in two years’ time, complete sets of modules for TSV will be available for sales. Practice shows that machines for Minimal Fab are developed very quickly. At the same time, the Minimal Fab concept is much more technologically feasible for implementing TSV than traditional systems for large wafers.
What is the return on investment time for Minimal Fab systems?
According to our estimates, it is about three years, that means, we are not inferior to the conventional equipment by this parameter at least. It should be noted that our machines are now about 100 times cheaper than traditional ones, and with the development of the serial production of Minimal Fab modules, the price difference can grow up to 1,000 times. At the same time, as already noted, the costs for clean rooms are excluded; the costs for consumables and electricity are minimal. The latter is due to the fact that after processing of the wafer, each module can be turned off. In the conventional production, this is not so common since it takes several hours for the machine to stabilise the process. In Minimal Fab, due to the small size of the wafer, the operational mode stabilises in about 10 minutes. Thus, the main cost in using Minimal Fab is the salary of the staff.
What is the strategy for promoting Minimal Fab on the market?
Our marketing research has shown an amazing market picture. For example, it was difficult to imagine that in Europe more than 40 semiconductor production sites use 4 inch wafers. A lot of companies produce devices with node size of 1 μm and more. In the USA, small enterprises specialise in the manufacture of high-value devices at a cost of hundreds or even thousands of dollars, which still are in demand on the market. At the same time, at 20% of the American factories, the annual volume does not exceed 100 wafers. The said enterprises are the priority target group for Minimal Fab. However, our plans are far from being limited to dealing with small enterprises. Medium-sized companies can also be interested in the possibility of developing individual orders, and Minimal Fab will enable large companies to increase the efficiency of promoting and mastering the manufacture of new devices. Minimal Fab is a versatile tool that optimally meets the trends in the development of the semiconductor industry.
Interview: Dmitry Gudilin
Mr. Hara, how did the idea of creating the Minimal Fab system come about?
In nanotechnologies, especially in micro- and nanoelectronics, there is a big gap between the research and development stage and the introduction of new solutions into production. By analysing the reasons for that situation, I have come to the conclusion that the main problem is the huge amount of investments that are needed to implement new process solutions. Large funds are needed to not only purchase the process equipment but also create and maintain the necessary production infrastructure, first of all, clean rooms. Then I had the idea of creating a small-scale production system that would require minimal investment and could operate outside of any specially constructed clean rooms. One of the basic technologies to implement Minimal Fab was the Clean Localised Wafertransfer System concept developed by me in the 1990s, with the wafer being transported in a special Minimal Shuttle container, which eliminated the need to operate in clean rooms. The second fundamental solution was the use of 0.5 inch wafers due to which the equipment became very compact.
In 2004, I received funding in the amount of 300 million yen from AIST for the development of Minimal Fab. Later, with the support of the Government of Japan, the Minimal Fab Development Association was created, which included leading companies developing and producing equipment for microelectronics as well as universities, R&D centres, manufacturers of consumables, system designers etc.
How is the clean environment localised in Minimal Fab?
Each wafer is transported between process modules in a sealed container, where it is in a clean nitrogen atmosphere. Thus, its contact with air in the room and other "dirty" environments is prevented. Some studies have confirmed the reliability of the solution.
What are the Minimal Fab facilities for?
Minimal Fab can be used in research and development centres and for the industrial production of semiconductor devices. Due to lower cost compared to conventional equipment, Minimal Fab significantly reduces the investment threshold for entering the market. At the same time, there is the possibility of almost limitless increasing in production capacity by adding new lines. Thus, our equipment can be effectively used for R&D, prototyping and manufacturing of any batches, from single devices to mass production.
In the production of small orders, the time spent to prepare and adjust the equipment is particularly important. At Minimal Fab it is minimal due to the quick achievement of operating conditions and high automation. As a result, production time is reduced while productivity is maximised.
What infrastructure is needed to install the equipment?
Infrastructure requirements are minimal, i.e. power sources, nitrogen supply, compressed air supply, and a system for extracting gaseous waste. Liquid chemical reagents and water are placed in the process modules in special exchangeable containers. The reserve of this capacity is enough for a long time since the consumption of liquids for processing one wafer is calculated by drops, i.e. tenths of a milliliter.
What are the wafer requirements?
From the standpoint of the technical requirements, the wafers for Minimal Fab are no different from conventional wafers. Particular attention should be paid only to the fact that the wafer has a rounded edge. Since its area is small, the edge effects become increasingly important. A sharp and rough edge can become not only the cause of mechanical damage to the holders but also lead to accumulation of charge during plasma processes. The developed equipment makes it possible to produce integrated circuits, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and photonics devices on silicon, gallium arsenide, Ga2O3, sapphire, quartz, gallium nitride on sapphire, diamond.
Can several devices be placed on one wafer, and how are they separated?
Just as with conventional wafer, the number of devices depends on their size and the required batch size. A common mechanical technology is used to separate chips. Our consortium includes DISCO Corporation, the world leader in the segment of equipment for grinding, polishing and cutting plates. It has developed a unique solution with regeneration and repeated use of water inside the process module thus making it possible to carry out mechanical processing without connection to any centralised water preparation and supply system.
Are there any typical Minimal Fab systems?
The minimum equipment package includes five modules for lithographic processes. It can be used in combination with the conventional equipment. A package of 25 machines will allow arranging for the manufacture of transistors. Approximately 30 machines are needed for the manufacture of MEMS. A versatile package for the commercial output of semiconductor devices includes about 50 machines.
What types of devices can now be produced on Minimal Fab?
As the system develops and new modules appear, this list expands. In 2012, the first cantilever was manufactured, in 2013, the p-channel MOS transistor, in 2015, the CMOS chip, in 2016, the BGA chip.
Does using Minimal Fab make it possible to reduce the time and cost of developing new devices?
In using for research and development of conventional equipment, it takes about three years to create a commercial device. Using Minimal Fab allows you to reduce this period to six months. According to our forecasts, in the future, thanks to Minimal Fab, it will be possible to develop semiconductor devices 10 times faster than now.
Are there any solutions for advanced packaging?
We will certainly promote the development of advanced packaging by using the TSV technology and other solutions, which allow to combine in one device, for example, logics with MEMS or power modules. Appropriate systems are about 90% complete. According to our estimates, in two years’ time, complete sets of modules for TSV will be available for sales. Practice shows that machines for Minimal Fab are developed very quickly. At the same time, the Minimal Fab concept is much more technologically feasible for implementing TSV than traditional systems for large wafers.
What is the return on investment time for Minimal Fab systems?
According to our estimates, it is about three years, that means, we are not inferior to the conventional equipment by this parameter at least. It should be noted that our machines are now about 100 times cheaper than traditional ones, and with the development of the serial production of Minimal Fab modules, the price difference can grow up to 1,000 times. At the same time, as already noted, the costs for clean rooms are excluded; the costs for consumables and electricity are minimal. The latter is due to the fact that after processing of the wafer, each module can be turned off. In the conventional production, this is not so common since it takes several hours for the machine to stabilise the process. In Minimal Fab, due to the small size of the wafer, the operational mode stabilises in about 10 minutes. Thus, the main cost in using Minimal Fab is the salary of the staff.
What is the strategy for promoting Minimal Fab on the market?
Our marketing research has shown an amazing market picture. For example, it was difficult to imagine that in Europe more than 40 semiconductor production sites use 4 inch wafers. A lot of companies produce devices with node size of 1 μm and more. In the USA, small enterprises specialise in the manufacture of high-value devices at a cost of hundreds or even thousands of dollars, which still are in demand on the market. At the same time, at 20% of the American factories, the annual volume does not exceed 100 wafers. The said enterprises are the priority target group for Minimal Fab. However, our plans are far from being limited to dealing with small enterprises. Medium-sized companies can also be interested in the possibility of developing individual orders, and Minimal Fab will enable large companies to increase the efficiency of promoting and mastering the manufacture of new devices. Minimal Fab is a versatile tool that optimally meets the trends in the development of the semiconductor industry.
Interview: Dmitry Gudilin
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