The reasonably good status of 300mm wafer-processing tools

It seems apparent that the previous delay in 300mm plus the work of 13001 a nd Selete have done a lot to ensure the existence of an adequate 300mm tool set, at least one that is better than previous industry transitions to larg er wafers. Experts at Selete, for example, foresee 100% tool compliance, up from recent 85% value evaluations, when these fabs begin coming on line in early 2001. The remaining minor and isolated problems are mostly related t o 300mm's need for full automation and individual user propensity to specif y special needs. What the industry is teaming in this process is that, for the future, industrial engineering will become a crucial element in further advancing semiconductor manufacturing.