This is why accurate models are so critical to today's fab control system. The concept of process defect means much more than just what shows up on the wafer surface. These nontraditional process defects can and do cause huge economic losses in today's fabs. Controlling them is the next process engineering frontier. In order to do so, more and more intelligence is needed at every node in the process, intelligence that is integrated with other nodes and with the enterprise's central nervous system, to produce a highly flexible, responsive, and efficient manufacturing entity.
Competition is keen and cutthroat, and margins are plummeting.
Process engineering is becoming a very holistic art and science. He specializes in process engineering, including both manufacturing and business processes, as well as project design and management. A veteran of more than 30 years in the semiconductor industry, he has worked at IBM, AMD, TI, GCA, Ultratech Stepper, and Sematech. His accomplishments include developments in and management of semiconductor processes and equipment, particularly in photolithography and fab automation, and fab productivity enhancement programs. All rights reserved.